Key Points
- Insider sale: EVP Michael McDonald sold 34,122 shares on Jan. 28 at an average $22.11 for roughly $754,437, cutting his direct stake by about 35% to 62,937 shares.
- Q4 beat and dividend hike: First BanCorp. reported Q4 EPS of $0.55 (vs. $0.52 est.) with slightly better-than-expected revenue and raised its quarterly dividend to $0.20 (annualized $0.80), a ~3.6% yield.
- Analyst outlook: Multiple firms raised price targets (e.g., Hovde to $26, Truist to $25) and MarketBeat shows a "Moderate Buy" consensus with an average target of $24.42, implying upside from current ~$22 levels.
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First BanCorp. (NYSE:FBP - Get Free Report) EVP Michael Mcdonald sold 34,122 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, January 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $22.11, for a total value of $754,437.42. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 62,937 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $1,391,537.07. This represents a 35.16% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link.
First BanCorp. Price Performance
Shares of NYSE FBP opened at $22.13 on Friday. The stock's 50-day simple moving average is $20.96 and its 200-day simple moving average is $21.11. The firm has a market capitalization of $3.49 billion, a PE ratio of 10.29, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.22 and a beta of 0.88. First BanCorp. has a fifty-two week low of $16.40 and a fifty-two week high of $22.60. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.15, a quick ratio of 0.80 and a current ratio of 0.81.
First BanCorp. (NYSE:FBP - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, January 27th. The bank reported $0.55 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.52 by $0.03. First BanCorp. had a net margin of 27.48% and a return on equity of 17.33%. The company had revenue of $257.17 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $256.18 million. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $0.46 earnings per share. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that First BanCorp. will post 1.85 EPS for the current fiscal year.
First BanCorp. Increases Dividend
The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 13th. Investors of record on Thursday, February 26th will be given a $0.20 dividend. This represents a $0.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.6%. This is a boost from First BanCorp.'s previous quarterly dividend of $0.18. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, February 26th. First BanCorp.'s dividend payout ratio is presently 33.49%.
Analyst Ratings Changes
A number of analysts recently issued reports on the company. Hovde Group upped their target price on First BanCorp. from $25.00 to $26.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research report on Wednesday. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a "buy (b)" rating on shares of First BanCorp. in a report on Thursday, January 22nd. Piper Sandler assumed coverage on shares of First BanCorp. in a research report on Thursday, January 15th. They set a "neutral" rating and a $23.00 price objective on the stock. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods increased their target price on shares of First BanCorp. from $24.00 to $24.50 and gave the stock a "market perform" rating in a research note on Wednesday. Finally, Truist Financial boosted their price target on First BanCorp. from $24.00 to $25.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Thursday. Four analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have issued a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, First BanCorp. presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $24.42.
Read Our Latest Report on FBP
Institutional Trading of First BanCorp.
A number of large investors have recently made changes to their positions in FBP. Choreo LLC lifted its holdings in First BanCorp. by 4.7% in the 2nd quarter. Choreo LLC now owns 11,061 shares of the bank's stock valued at $230,000 after purchasing an additional 499 shares in the last quarter. Nisa Investment Advisors LLC boosted its position in First BanCorp. by 4.1% during the third quarter. Nisa Investment Advisors LLC now owns 13,013 shares of the bank's stock worth $287,000 after acquiring an additional 508 shares during the last quarter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC raised its holdings in First BanCorp. by 5.1% in the 3rd quarter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC now owns 10,806 shares of the bank's stock valued at $234,000 after acquiring an additional 526 shares during the last quarter. California State Teachers Retirement System lifted its stake in shares of First BanCorp. by 0.4% during the 2nd quarter. California State Teachers Retirement System now owns 151,294 shares of the bank's stock worth $3,151,000 after purchasing an additional 529 shares during the period. Finally, PNC Financial Services Group Inc. grew its position in shares of First BanCorp. by 4.1% in the third quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 14,217 shares of the bank's stock valued at $313,000 after purchasing an additional 557 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 97.91% of the company's stock.
More First BanCorp. News
Here are the key news stories impacting First BanCorp. this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Q4 beat and strong metrics — FBP reported Q4 EPS of $0.55 (vs. $0.52 est.) and revenue modestly above expectations; management highlighted healthy margins and ROE, which supports the rally. FBP Exceeds Q4 CY2025 Expectations
- Positive Sentiment: Shareholder-friendly capital actions — coverage notes a dividend increase and share buybacks after record results, improving yield and total-return prospects for investors. A Look At First BanCorp Valuation After Record Results Dividend Hike And Share Buybacks
- Positive Sentiment: Analyst price-target increases — several firms raised targets (Truist to $25 with a Buy; Hovde to $26 Outperform; Keefe, Bruyette & Woods to $24.50 Market Perform), signaling visible upside from current levels and supporting buying interest. Truist price target raise to $25
- Neutral Sentiment: Guidance and strategy — management outlined a 3–5% organic loan growth target and a “100% earnings return” strategy (capital returned to shareholders). Positive for yield but execution and macro sensitivity create uncertainty. First BanCorp outlines growth and earnings-return strategy
- Neutral Sentiment: Call/transcript coverage — earnings call highlights and analyst discussion provide detail on deposit trends, credit quality and capital deployment; useful for investors but not an immediate catalyst beyond the quarter. Q4 2025 earnings call transcript
- Negative Sentiment: Insider selling — EVP Michael McDonald sold 34,122 shares (~35% reduction of his position) at an average $22.11. While insider sales can be routine, the size of the reduction may raise short-term investor caution. SEC filing for insider sale
First BanCorp. Company Profile
(
Get Free Report)
First BanCorp (NYSE: FBP) is a financial holding company headquartered in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Through its principal banking subsidiary, FirstBank Puerto Rico, the company offers a comprehensive range of banking services including commercial and consumer lending, deposit products, cash management solutions and treasury services. It also provides mortgage origination and servicing, equipment leasing, investment management, and insurance agency services.
In its commercial banking segment, First BanCorp serves small and midsize enterprises as well as large corporate clients, delivering tailored credit facilities, letters of credit, and foreign trade financing.
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