Bank stocks have been on quite the rollercoaster since my last article on Pittsburgh’s F.N.B. (FNB), and while the stock has fared better than most in its peer group (and has outperformed regional banks by about five points), the barely-positive low single-digit total return since then is certainly not inspiring.
How F.N.B. management intends to pursue growth remains a key point of contention around the stock. The market isn’t overly impressed with a bank where so much of the business skews to slower-growing markets like Pittsburgh, Baltimore, and Cleveland, and likewise wasn’t too impressed with the recent acquisition of a small bank in Baltimore at a generous premium. The shares do continue to look undervalued on a mid-single-digit core earnings growth rate, but I feel that the market needs more visibility to better profitability and/or growth before a significant rerating is likely.
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F.N.B. Seeing Signs Of Improving Loan Demand, But Execution Still Needs To Improve
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