Commerce Bancshares (NASDAQ:CBSH) Sets New 12-Month Low on Insider Selling

Commerce Bancshares, Inc. (NASDAQ:CBSH) shares reached a new 52-week low during trading on Monday following insider selling activity. The company traded as low as $48.58 and last traded at $48.84, with a volume of 100887 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $50.36.

Specifically, SVP Margaret M. Rowe sold 861 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, March 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $51.69, for a total transaction of $44,505.09. Following the transaction, the senior vice president owned 5,742 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $296,803.98. This trade represents a 13.04% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, SVP Kim L. Jakovich sold 949 shares of Commerce Bancshares stock in a transaction on Thursday, March 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $51.45, for a total transaction of $48,826.05. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president owned 12,741 shares in the company, valued at approximately $655,524.45. This trade represents a 6.93% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

CBSH has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. Piper Sandler set a $62.00 price objective on Commerce Bancshares and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Monday, January 26th. Morgan Stanley reduced their target price on Commerce Bancshares from $67.00 to $65.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, March 2nd. Zacks Research raised Commerce Bancshares from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Wednesday, March 4th. TD Cowen cut their price objective on Commerce Bancshares from $61.00 to $55.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, January 7th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Commerce Bancshares in a research note on Monday, December 29th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have given a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Commerce Bancshares presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $61.51.

Commerce Bancshares News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Commerce Bancshares this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Rating/research tailwinds: Zacks upgraded CBSH from “strong sell” to “hold” and media coverage highlights management’s focus on balance‑sheet optimization and a rating upgrade that investors view as supportive for future capital deployment and profitability. How Investors Are Reacting To Commerce Bancshares (CBSH) Rating Upgrade And Balance-Sheet Optimization Focus
• Positive Sentiment: Large institutional accumulation: Major institutions (Vanguard, State Street, Dimensional, American Century and others) increased stakes in recent quarters, indicating strong institutional conviction and a steady buyer base beneath the stock.
• Neutral Sentiment: Short‑interest data appears anomalous: Recent short‑interest posts show “0 shares” and NaN changes — likely a reporting glitch — so there’s no clear evidence of new short pressure driving today’s move.
• Neutral Sentiment: Valuation discussion: Several pieces are questioning whether recent share‑price weakness is already reflected in CBSH’s valuation and analysts’ FY2026 EPS outlooks — useful context for longer‑term investors but not an immediate catalyst. Is Commerce Bancshares (CBSH) Pricing Reflect Its Recent Share Price Weakness? What is Zacks Research’s Forecast for CBSH FY2026 Earnings?
• Negative Sentiment: Insider selling: Two senior VPs disclosed open‑market sales (Margaret Rowe sold 861 shares at ~$51.69; Kim Jakovich sold 949 shares at ~$51.45). While not huge, these trims (≈13% and ≈7% reductions of their holdings) can weigh on sentiment when combined with other negatives. Margaret M. Rowe Form 4 Kim L. Jakovich Form 4
• Negative Sentiment: Analyst pressure: Morgan Stanley recently trimmed its target on CBSH as the sell‑side raises the bar for bank stocks; other shops have also reduced targets — this lowers street support and can amplify downside momentum. Morgan Stanley Lowers Commerce Bancshares (CBSH) Target as Bank Sector Bar Rises

Commerce Bancshares Price Performance

The business has a fifty day moving average of $53.16 and a 200 day moving average of $53.59. The stock has a market cap of $7.18 billion, a PE ratio of 11.67, a P/E/G ratio of 2.49 and a beta of 0.61.

Commerce Bancshares (NASDAQ:CBSH) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 22nd. The financial services provider reported $1.01 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.99 by $0.02. Commerce Bancshares had a return on equity of 15.34% and a net margin of 26.51%.The company had revenue of $449.36 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $442.47 million. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $1.01 EPS. Commerce Bancshares’s revenue for the quarter was up 6.5% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities research analysts expect that Commerce Bancshares, Inc. will post 3.94 EPS for the current year.

Commerce Bancshares Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 24th. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 6th will be issued a dividend of $0.275 per share. This represents a $1.10 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.2%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, March 6th. Commerce Bancshares’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 26.25%.

Institutional Trading of Commerce Bancshares

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Danske Bank A S bought a new stake in shares of Commerce Bancshares in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. lifted its stake in Commerce Bancshares by 85.4% during the first quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. now owns 469 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $29,000 after purchasing an additional 216 shares during the last quarter. Daytona Street Capital LLC bought a new position in Commerce Bancshares during the fourth quarter worth $25,000. Quent Capital LLC bought a new position in Commerce Bancshares during the third quarter worth $31,000. Finally, CoreFirst Bank & Trust bought a new position in Commerce Bancshares during the second quarter worth $33,000. 70.26% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

About Commerce Bancshares

Commerce Bancshares, Inc is a bank holding company primarily engaged in providing a broad range of banking and financial services across the Midwest. Through its principal subsidiary, Commerce Bank, the company offers commercial and consumer banking, treasury management, trust and wealth advisory, and mortgage lending. Its diversified product suite includes deposit and loan products, cash management solutions, capital markets services, and private banking designed to meet the needs of individuals, small businesses, and large corporations.

The company’s commercial banking group delivers tailored credit facilities, equipment and inventory financing, asset-based lending, and merchant services.