Brokerages Set Associated Banc-Corp (NYSE:ASB) Price Target at $31.60

Associated Banc-Corp (NYSE:ASB) has received a consensus recommendation of “Moderate Buy” from the twelve brokerages that are covering the firm, Marketbeat.com reports. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation, five have given a buy recommendation and one has given a strong buy recommendation to the company. The average 1-year price target among analysts that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $31.60.

Several equities analysts have recently commented on ASB shares. Wall Street Zen lowered Associated Banc from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Saturday, May 2nd. Raymond James Financial raised their price objective on Associated Banc from $31.00 to $35.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 1st. Piper Sandler boosted their price objective on shares of Associated Banc from $29.00 to $30.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Friday, April 24th. Truist Financial upped their target price on shares of Associated Banc from $32.00 to $33.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research report on Tuesday, August 4th. Finally, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods increased their target price on shares of Associated Banc from $30.00 to $31.00 and gave the stock a “market perform” rating in a research note on Friday, April 24th.

Key Headlines Impacting Associated Banc

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

• Positive Sentiment: Near-term earnings estimates improved. Zacks Research raised its FY2026 EPS forecast to $2.95 from $2.92, and increased estimates for Q3 2026 to $0.75 from $0.74 and Q1 2027 to $0.76 from $0.75. These revisions suggest somewhat better expected operating performance in the nearer term. Associated Banc stock information
• Positive Sentiment: Dividend supports investor demand. Associated Banc declared a quarterly dividend of $0.24, or $0.96 annualized, representing an approximately 3.0% yield and a payout ratio of about 33.6%. The bank’s latest quarterly results also exceeded expectations, with EPS of $0.73 versus the $0.72 consensus estimate and revenue of $454.5 million versus forecasts of $438.0 million.
• Positive Sentiment: Institutional ownership remains strong. Several large investors, including Goldman Sachs, Millennium Management and UBS Asset Management, increased their positions during the first half of the year. Institutions and hedge funds own approximately 83% of ASB’s shares.
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst sentiment is broadly constructive but valuation appears near targets. The consensus rating is “Moderate Buy,” although the average price target of $31.60 is below the stock’s recent trading level. Wells Fargo raised its target to $36 and maintained an “overweight” rating, while other analysts remain at “hold” or “market perform.”
• Negative Sentiment: Longer-term earnings expectations were reduced. Zacks cut its Q2 2028 EPS estimate to $0.84 from $0.94 and lowered FY2028 EPS to $3.35 from $3.56. It also trimmed Q1 2028 and Q2 2027 forecasts, partially offsetting the near-term upgrades. Zacks Associated Banc estimates
• Negative Sentiment: Executives sold significant portions of their holdings. EVP Gregory Warsek sold 16,300 shares for approximately $521,763, reducing his position by 54.1%. EVP Randall Erickson sold 43,561 shares worth about $1.40 million, cutting his ownership by 43.7%. While insider sales can reflect personal financial planning, the size of these transactions may weigh on sentiment. Associated Banc insider sales

Insider Activity at Associated Banc

In other Associated Banc news, EVP Derek S. Meyer sold 10,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, July 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $30.74, for a total value of $307,400.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 61,662 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,895,489.88. This trade represents a 13.95% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, EVP Randall J. Erickson sold 43,561 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, August 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $32.04, for a total transaction of $1,395,694.44. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 56,091 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,797,155.64. This trade represents a 43.71% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last three months, insiders sold 101,823 shares of company stock valued at $3,150,761. 0.71% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in ASB. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. increased its holdings in shares of Associated Banc by 6.0% in the 1st quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 97,570 shares of the bank’s stock valued at $2,198,000 after acquiring an additional 5,531 shares during the last quarter. Millennium Management LLC lifted its stake in Associated Banc by 90.4% during the first quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 287,890 shares of the bank’s stock worth $6,486,000 after purchasing an additional 136,648 shares during the last quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. lifted its stake in Associated Banc by 139.1% during the first quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 2,748,667 shares of the bank’s stock worth $61,927,000 after purchasing an additional 1,598,951 shares during the last quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC boosted its holdings in Associated Banc by 13.9% in the first quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC now owns 496,392 shares of the bank’s stock valued at $11,184,000 after purchasing an additional 60,758 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Sivia Capital Partners LLC acquired a new position in Associated Banc in the second quarter valued at approximately $328,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 82.98% of the company’s stock.

Associated Banc Price Performance

Shares of ASB stock opened at $32.35 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.95, a current ratio of 0.93 and a quick ratio of 0.93. The firm’s 50-day moving average is $30.55 and its two-hundred day moving average is $28.33. Associated Banc has a 12 month low of $23.86 and a 12 month high of $32.46. The company has a market capitalization of $6.11 billion, a PE ratio of 11.31, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.10 and a beta of 0.77.

Associated Banc (NYSE:ASB) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 23rd. The bank reported $0.73 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.72 by $0.01. The company had revenue of $454.54 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $438.01 million. Associated Banc had a return on equity of 10.64% and a net margin of 19.66%.During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $0.65 earnings per share. Analysts predict that Associated Banc will post 2.92 earnings per share for the current year.

Associated Banc Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 15th. Investors of record on Tuesday, September 1st will be issued a $0.24 dividend. This represents a $0.96 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.0%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, September 1st. Associated Banc’s payout ratio is currently 33.57%.

Associated Banc Company Profile

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.