Interactive Brokers shares jump as it secures spot in S&P 500
On Friday, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods maintained a positive stance on Dime Community Bancshares, Inc. (NASDAQ:DCOM), reiterating an Outperform rating with a steady price target of $39.00. The firm's assessment follows Dime Community's recent announcement of hiring a deposit-focused team, signaling continued momentum for the bank.
The newly acquired team is led by George Taitt and Amy Grandy, who previously worked for FLG and the legacy SBNY. This move is part of Dime Community's ongoing strategy to strengthen its deposit operations, which has seen a series of similar successful hires in the past two years. The bank has demonstrated its commitment to shareholder returns through 29 consecutive years of dividend payments, currently offering a 4.14% yield.
Keefe, Bruyette & Woods acknowledged the pattern of strategic recruitment by Dime Community, particularly noting the bank's prior successes in the springs of 2023 and 2024. The firm's analysts believe that these consistent efforts are beneficial for the bank's stock, although they were largely anticipated by the market.
The hiring of experienced professionals like Taitt and Grandy is expected to bolster Dime Community Bancshares' position in the market. The bank's focus on building a strong deposit-gathering team is seen as a strategic move to enhance its financial stability and growth prospects.
As Dime Community Bancshares continues to execute its expansion strategy through targeted hires, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods' reaffirmed rating and price target reflect confidence in the bank's direction and potential for shareholder value creation.
In other recent news, Dime Community Bancshares reported its fourth-quarter 2024 earnings, showcasing a significant revenue beat but falling short on earnings per share (EPS) expectations. The company recorded an EPS of $0.42, missing the forecast of $0.44, while revenue reached $99.48 million, surpassing the anticipated $67.92 million. This revenue performance highlighted a strong sales period for the bank, although the EPS miss reflected some investor concerns. Dime Community Bancshares also appointed Antonia "Toni" Badolato as Senior Vice President and Group Leader to boost its business lending capabilities. The bank's President and CEO, Stuart H. Lubow, noted that Badolato's hiring aligns with the bank's strategy to diversify its balance sheet and increase market share. Additionally, Dime Community's net interest margin expanded by 29 basis points, and core deposits grew by approximately $500 million in the fourth quarter. Analyst firms such as Piper Sandler and Raymond (NSE:RYMD) James participated in the earnings call, with discussions focusing on deposit rate strategies and loan repricing opportunities. The company projects non-interest income between $40-$42 million for 2025 and anticipates low single-digit loan growth.
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