First Bancshares (NASDAQ:FBMS) Now Covered by Analysts at StockNews.com

StockNews.com started coverage on shares of First Bancshares (NASDAQ:FBMS) in a report issued on Thursday. The firm issued a sell rating on the bank’s stock.

Other research analysts have also recently issued research reports about the company. Janney Montgomery Scott cut First Bancshares from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating in a research report on Thursday, October 24th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods raised their target price on shares of First Bancshares from $40.00 to $45.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Wednesday, December 4th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have issued a hold rating and two have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $37.17.

First Bancshares Trading Down 0.9 %

Shares of NASDAQ:FBMS opened at $35.20 on Thursday. The business’s 50 day simple moving average is $35.93 and its 200 day simple moving average is $33.03. First Bancshares has a 1 year low of $22.96 and a 1 year high of $39.08. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.33, a current ratio of 0.84 and a quick ratio of 0.84. The company has a market capitalization of $1.10 billion, a P/E ratio of 15.93 and a beta of 0.94.

First Bancshares Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, November 22nd. Investors of record on Friday, November 8th were paid a $0.25 dividend. This represents a $1.00 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.84%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, November 8th. First Bancshares’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 45.25%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of FBMS. Rhumbline Advisers grew its holdings in shares of First Bancshares by 6.4% during the 2nd quarter. Rhumbline Advisers now owns 48,372 shares of the bank’s stock valued at $1,257,000 after purchasing an additional 2,904 shares during the last quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. boosted its position in First Bancshares by 1.8% in the second quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. now owns 72,262 shares of the bank’s stock valued at $1,877,000 after buying an additional 1,300 shares in the last quarter. Arizona State Retirement System bought a new stake in shares of First Bancshares during the second quarter worth $216,000. American Century Companies Inc. increased its holdings in shares of First Bancshares by 65.0% during the second quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 231,635 shares of the bank’s stock worth $6,018,000 after buying an additional 91,269 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Dimensional Fund Advisors LP lifted its stake in shares of First Bancshares by 7.0% in the 2nd quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 1,404,491 shares of the bank’s stock valued at $36,487,000 after acquiring an additional 91,314 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 69.95% of the company’s stock.

About First Bancshares

The First Bancshares, Inc operates as the bank holding company for The First Bank that provides general commercial and retail banking services. The company operates through three segments: Commercial/Retail Bank, Mortgage Banking Division, and Holding Company. It offers deposit services, including checking, NOW, and savings accounts; other time deposits, such as daily money market accounts and longer-term certificates of deposit; and individual retirement and health savings accounts.