Key Points
- Insider sale: Douglas Strange sold 205 shares of Ameris Bancorp on December 31 at an average price of $71.62 for a total of $14,682.10, disclosed in an SEC Form 4.
- Recent results and metrics: Ameris reported Q EPS of $1.59 (vs. $1.56 est.) and revenue of $309.92M (slightly below expectations), has a market cap of $5.44B and P/E of 15.29, and pays a $0.20 quarterly dividend (1.0% yield).
- Analyst sentiment and ownership: Analysts’ consensus is a "Moderate Buy" with an average price target of $86.50 (individual targets range roughly $80–$94), and institutional investors hold about 91.6% of the stock.
Ameris Bancorp (NASDAQ:ABCB - Get Free Report) insider Douglas Strange sold 205 shares of Ameris Bancorp stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, December 31st. The stock was sold at an average price of $71.62, for a total value of $14,682.10. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link.
Ameris Bancorp Price Performance
Shares of NASDAQ ABCB opened at $79.68 on Tuesday. Ameris Bancorp has a twelve month low of $48.27 and a twelve month high of $87.98. The company has a current ratio of 1.02, a quick ratio of 1.00 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.11. The company has a market capitalization of $5.44 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.29 and a beta of 0.99. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $79.91 and a two-hundred day moving average of $75.77.
Ameris Bancorp (NASDAQ:ABCB - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 29th. The bank reported $1.59 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.56 by $0.03. Ameris Bancorp had a net margin of 21.46% and a return on equity of 9.57%. The company had revenue of $309.92 million for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $310.48 million. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $1.38 EPS. As a group, analysts expect that Ameris Bancorp will post 4.99 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
Ameris Bancorp Announces Dividend
The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, January 5th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, December 31st were issued a $0.20 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, December 31st. This represents a $0.80 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.0%. Ameris Bancorp's dividend payout ratio is currently 13.33%.
Analysts Set New Price Targets
A number of brokerages recently issued reports on ABCB. Stephens lifted their target price on Ameris Bancorp from $79.00 to $87.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a report on Monday, February 2nd. Piper Sandler set a $84.00 price target on Ameris Bancorp in a research note on Wednesday, October 29th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods boosted their price objective on Ameris Bancorp from $82.00 to $88.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a report on Monday, February 2nd. Raymond James Financial reiterated an "outperform" rating and issued a $80.00 target price (up from $73.00) on shares of Ameris Bancorp in a report on Wednesday, October 29th. Finally, DA Davidson set a $94.00 target price on shares of Ameris Bancorp in a research report on Monday, February 2nd. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have assigned a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Ameris Bancorp has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $86.50.
View Our Latest Stock Analysis on Ameris Bancorp
Institutional Investors Weigh In On Ameris Bancorp
A number of institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of ABCB. Fort Washington Investment Advisors Inc. OH raised its holdings in Ameris Bancorp by 16.8% during the third quarter. Fort Washington Investment Advisors Inc. OH now owns 394,563 shares of the bank's stock valued at $28,925,000 after buying an additional 56,852 shares in the last quarter. Capital Fund Management S.A. acquired a new position in shares of Ameris Bancorp during the 2nd quarter valued at about $1,663,000. Universal Beteiligungs und Servicegesellschaft mbH raised its stake in shares of Ameris Bancorp by 17.9% in the 3rd quarter. Universal Beteiligungs und Servicegesellschaft mbH now owns 86,422 shares of the bank's stock valued at $6,336,000 after acquiring an additional 13,129 shares in the last quarter. Public Sector Pension Investment Board lifted its holdings in Ameris Bancorp by 13.9% in the 3rd quarter. Public Sector Pension Investment Board now owns 250,505 shares of the bank's stock worth $18,365,000 after purchasing an additional 30,533 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Bessemer Group Inc. boosted its position in Ameris Bancorp by 98,682.6% during the third quarter. Bessemer Group Inc. now owns 351,666 shares of the bank's stock worth $25,780,000 after purchasing an additional 351,310 shares during the period. 91.60% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
About Ameris Bancorp
(
Get Free Report)
Ameris Bancorp is a bank holding company headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. Through its principal subsidiary, Ameris Bank, the company offers a broad range of commercial and retail banking services to individuals, small businesses, middle market companies and agricultural customers. Its core business lines encompass deposit services, lending solutions, treasury management, mortgage origination and servicing, insurance products and wealth management.
Ameris Bancorp operates a network of branches and loan production offices across the southeastern United States, including Georgia, Alabama, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.
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