Peoples Bancorp (NASDAQ:PEBO) Hits New 52-Week High Following Better-Than-Expected Earnings

Peoples Bancorp Inc. (NASDAQ:PEBO)’s share price hit a new 52-week high on Wednesday after the company announced better than expected quarterly earnings. The company traded as high as $40.50 and last traded at $39.50, with a volume of 594545 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $39.39.

The bank reported $0.96 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.85 by $0.11. Peoples Bancorp had a return on equity of 10.79% and a net margin of 19.17%.The company had revenue of $121.95 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $120.05 million.

Peoples Bancorp Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, August 17th. Investors of record on Monday, August 3rd will be given a $0.42 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Monday, August 3rd. This represents a $1.68 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.2%. Peoples Bancorp’s payout ratio is 53.85%.

Key Peoples Bancorp News

Here are the key news stories impacting Peoples Bancorp this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Peoples Bancorp posted second-quarter results that beat consensus EPS estimates and slightly topped revenue expectations, reinforcing momentum after the earnings release. Peoples Bancorp earnings report
• Positive Sentiment: Keefe, Bruyette & Woods raised its price target on PEBO from $38 to $42, signaling improved valuation expectations and providing a modest upside case from recent trading levels. Benzinga coverage
• Positive Sentiment: The company declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.42 per share, reinforcing shareholder returns and supporting the stock’s income appeal. Dividend announcement
• Positive Sentiment: PEBO hit a new 1-year high, reflecting strong investor response to the earnings update and broader optimism around the bank’s fundamentals. 1-year high article
• Neutral Sentiment: Management indicated it is targeting a 2026 net interest margin range of 4.10% to 4.30% and expects the Citizens merger to close in early Q4 2026, both of which could matter for longer-term earnings but are not immediate catalysts. Seeking Alpha article
• Negative Sentiment: One report said Peoples Bancorp missed second-quarter earnings forecasts despite improving margins, suggesting some investors may focus on mixed details within the quarter rather than just the headline beat. Yahoo Finance article

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research firms recently commented on PEBO. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Peoples Bancorp in a report on Friday, May 29th. DA Davidson raised their target price on shares of Peoples Bancorp from $41.00 to $44.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday. Piper Sandler set a $46.00 target price on shares of Peoples Bancorp in a research note on Wednesday. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods upped their price target on shares of Peoples Bancorp from $38.00 to $42.00 and gave the company a “market perform” rating in a report on Wednesday. Finally, Hovde Group upped their price target on shares of Peoples Bancorp from $33.00 to $36.00 and gave the company a “market perform” rating in a report on Wednesday, April 22nd. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, Peoples Bancorp has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $42.00.

Insider Transactions at Peoples Bancorp

In other Peoples Bancorp news, Director Dwight Eric Smith purchased 1,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, April 27th. The stock was acquired at an average price of $34.51 per share, with a total value of $34,510.00. Following the transaction, the director directly owned 9,256 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $319,424.56. This trade represents a 12.11% increase in their position. The purchase was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. 3.31% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Peoples Bancorp

Several hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Larson Financial Group LLC purchased a new stake in Peoples Bancorp in the third quarter worth $30,000. Quarry LP purchased a new position in Peoples Bancorp during the 3rd quarter valued at $35,000. Strs Ohio purchased a new position in Peoples Bancorp during the 1st quarter valued at $62,000. Nisa Investment Advisors LLC raised its holdings in Peoples Bancorp by 19.8% in the 4th quarter. Nisa Investment Advisors LLC now owns 2,688 shares of the bank’s stock worth $81,000 after purchasing an additional 445 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Russell Investments Group Ltd. lifted its position in shares of Peoples Bancorp by 654.3% in the 3rd quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd. now owns 3,100 shares of the bank’s stock worth $93,000 after purchasing an additional 2,689 shares during the period. 60.68% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Peoples Bancorp Stock Performance

The company’s 50-day moving average price is $36.61 and its 200 day moving average price is $34.15. The stock has a market capitalization of $1.44 billion, a PE ratio of 12.11 and a beta of 0.62. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.15, a quick ratio of 0.83 and a current ratio of 0.84.

About Peoples Bancorp

Peoples Bancorp, Inc is a bank holding company headquartered in Marietta, Ohio. Through its subsidiary Peoples Bank, the company provides a comprehensive range of commercial and consumer banking services designed to serve individuals, businesses and institutional clients. Its deposit products include checking and savings accounts, money market accounts, certificates of deposit and digital banking platforms that enable secure online and mobile access.

On the lending side, Peoples Bancorp offers commercial and industrial loans, commercial real estate financing, construction and agricultural lending, as well as residential mortgage products.