Midland States Bancorp (NASDAQ:MSBI) Raised to “Strong-Buy” at Zacks Research

Midland States Bancorp (NASDAQ:MSBI) was upgraded by investment analysts at Zacks Research from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Thursday,Zacks.com reports.

A number of other brokerages have also issued reports on MSBI. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “sell (d+)” rating on shares of Midland States Bancorp in a research note on Monday, December 29th. Piper Sandler upped their target price on shares of Midland States Bancorp from $18.00 to $19.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Tuesday, December 2nd. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods increased their target price on shares of Midland States Bancorp from $17.00 to $19.00 and gave the stock a “market perform” rating in a report on Monday, December 8th. Finally, Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Midland States Bancorp from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Friday. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, four have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $20.00.

Midland States Bancorp Stock Down 4.6%

NASDAQ:MSBI opened at $23.00 on Thursday. Midland States Bancorp has a 52 week low of $14.24 and a 52 week high of $24.57. The stock’s fifty day moving average is $20.17 and its two-hundred day moving average is $18.34. The stock has a market capitalization of $495.65 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.77 and a beta of 0.66. The company has a quick ratio of 0.84, a current ratio of 0.85 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.95.

Midland States Bancorp (NASDAQ:MSBI) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 22nd. The financial services provider reported $0.53 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.70 by ($0.17). Midland States Bancorp had a net margin of 6.62% and a return on equity of 10.41%. The firm had revenue of $85.79 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $74.49 million. Research analysts anticipate that Midland States Bancorp will post 2.53 EPS for the current year.

Midland States Bancorp announced that its Board of Directors has approved a share buyback plan on Monday, November 3rd that permits the company to repurchase $25.00 million in outstanding shares. This repurchase authorization permits the financial services provider to repurchase up to 7.3% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares repurchase plans are generally an indication that the company’s management believes its stock is undervalued.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Midland States Bancorp news, EVP Jeremy Andrew Jameson bought 5,598 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, December 3rd. The shares were purchased at an average price of $17.69 per share, with a total value of $99,028.62. Following the completion of the acquisition, the executive vice president directly owned 63,412 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,121,758.28. This represents a 9.68% increase in their position. The purchase was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, insider Daniel Edward Casey purchased 5,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, December 3rd. The shares were acquired at an average cost of $17.89 per share, with a total value of $89,450.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the insider directly owned 28,254 shares in the company, valued at $505,464.06. The trade was a 21.50% increase in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this purchase are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders bought a total of 11,098 shares of company stock worth $197,324 over the last 90 days. Company insiders own 5.27% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Amundi raised its position in shares of Midland States Bancorp by 39.4% during the 1st quarter. Amundi now owns 2,194 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $38,000 after acquiring an additional 620 shares in the last quarter. Empowered Funds LLC increased its stake in Midland States Bancorp by 3.5% in the first quarter. Empowered Funds LLC now owns 58,504 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $1,002,000 after purchasing an additional 2,004 shares during the last quarter. Jane Street Group LLC acquired a new stake in Midland States Bancorp during the first quarter worth approximately $354,000. Voya Investment Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Midland States Bancorp during the 1st quarter worth approximately $344,000. Finally, Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio boosted its holdings in shares of Midland States Bancorp by 52.4% in the 2nd quarter. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio now owns 14,407 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $250,000 after buying an additional 4,952 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 60.93% of the company’s stock.

Midland States Bancorp News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Midland States Bancorp this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Zacks upgraded MSBI to a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), citing improved earnings prospects and upside potential from company tailwinds. Midland States Bancorp (MSBI) Upgraded to Strong Buy: Here’s Why
• Positive Sentiment: Zacks added MSBI to its “Best Value Stocks to Buy” list (Zacks Rank #1), highlighting value metrics that could attract investors if fundamentals improve. Best Value Stocks to Buy for January 23rd
• Positive Sentiment: Zacks also included MSBI on its “Best Income Stocks to Buy” list, suggesting dividend/income-seeking investors may view the stock favorably. Best Income Stocks to Buy for January 23rd
• Neutral Sentiment: Company press release: Midland posted its Q4 2025 results and provided GAAP figures showing a net loss available to common shareholders of $5.1M (‑$0.24 per diluted share) while comparing sequential and year‑ago results. Midland States Bancorp, Inc. Announces 2025 Fourth Quarter Results
• Neutral Sentiment: Local earnings snapshot and coverage provide additional context on Q4 results and trends but add no new catalyst beyond the company release. Midland States Bancorp: Q4 Earnings Snapshot
• Neutral Sentiment: Zacks published a metrics comparison of Q4 results vs. estimates and year‑ago numbers to help parse the mixed signals in the quarter. Compared to Estimates, Midland States Bancorp (MSBI) Q4 Earnings: A Look at Key Metrics
• Negative Sentiment: MSBI missed Q4 EPS expectations: reported $0.53 (miss vs. Zacks consensus $0.70), which triggered concern over near‑term profitability despite revenue beats. Midland States Bancorp (MSBI) Misses Q4 Earnings Estimates
• Negative Sentiment: Market commentary highlights the mixed quarter: revenue beat ($85.8M vs. est. $74.5M) but negative ROE and net margin and an EPS shortfall have investors trimming positions. View Press Release / Market Commentary
• Negative Sentiment: AAII explains the sell‑off (stock down sizable %) as investors reacting to the EPS miss, continued negative profitability metrics, and uncertainty on when consistent earnings will return. Why Midland States Bancorp, Inc.’s (MSBI) Stock Is Down 5.58%

Midland States Bancorp Company Profile

Midland States Bancorp, Inc is a bank holding company headquartered in Effingham, Illinois, that oversees Midland States Bank, a community-focused financial institution. Through its subsidiary, the company provides a full range of commercial and retail banking services designed to meet the needs of individuals, small and mid-sized businesses, and nonprofit organizations. Its branch network spans key markets in Illinois, Missouri and Florida, where it emphasizes relationship-driven banking and local decision-making.

The company’s offerings include traditional deposit accounts, business and commercial lending, treasury and cash management services, mortgage financing and home equity products.