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In recent transactions filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Gibson Kala, Executive Vice President of Fifth Third Bancorp (NASDAQ:FITB), sold a significant portion of his holdings in the company. On February 20, Kala sold 8,998 shares of common stock at a weighted average price of $43.64, totaling approximately $392,712. The transaction occurred as Fifth Third Bancorp, currently valued at $28.74 billion, trades below its InvestingPro Fair Value, with analyst price targets ranging from $40 to $57.
The sales followed a series of acquisitions on February 19, where Kala acquired 6,440 and 9,392 shares of common stock as part of Fifth Third Bancorp’s Incentive Compensation Plan. These acquisitions were made without any monetary consideration. Additionally, Kala had 4,194 shares withheld for tax purposes upon the vesting of performance shares, valued at $184,787 at a price of $44.06 per share. The bank has demonstrated strong shareholder returns, maintaining dividend payments for 50 consecutive years and raising them for the past 14 years. InvestingPro analysis reveals 6 additional key insights about Fifth Third’s financial health and growth prospects.
Following these transactions, Kala’s direct ownership of Fifth Third Bancorp stock stands at 48,513 shares.
In other recent news, Fifth Third Bancorp reported fourth-quarter earnings that exceeded analyst expectations, with adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $0.90, surpassing the consensus estimate of $0.88. However, the bank’s revenue was slightly below expectations, coming in at $2.18 billion compared to the anticipated $2.21 billion. The bank’s net interest income rose by 1% sequentially, driven by loan growth and an improved net interest margin, which expanded by 7 basis points to 2.97%. Additionally, Fifth Third’s total average loans increased by 1% from the previous quarter, reaching $117.9 billion.
Analysts have adjusted their forecasts for Fifth Third Bancorp following these results. Piper Sandler revised its earnings estimates for 2025 and 2026, increasing them to $3.59 and $3.92, respectively, though the price target was lowered to $53. Truist Securities, meanwhile, raised its price target to $52 from $51, maintaining a Buy rating, and noted expectations for continued strong performance in key areas. Truist also highlighted the potential for increased share repurchases in 2026, projecting $1 billion in repurchases for 2025 and $1.3 billion for 2026.
Both Piper Sandler and Truist Securities have expressed confidence in Fifth Third Bancorp’s future earnings potential, with Truist emphasizing the bank’s robust loan and deposit growth prospects. These developments reflect a positive outlook for the bank’s financial health and growth trajectory.
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