Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac shares tumble after conservatorship comments
Mark DeFazio, the President and CEO of Metropolitan Bank Holding Corp. (NYSE:MCB), recently sold a significant portion of his holdings in the company. According to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, DeFazio sold a total of 18,421 shares of common stock on March 17, 2025. The shares were sold at a weighted average price of $54.7795, with the transactions totaling approximately $1,009,093. The sale comes as MCB stock has demonstrated strong performance, with a 52.4% return over the past year. According to InvestingPro analysis, the company currently trades at an attractive P/E ratio of 9.38 and appears slightly undervalued based on Fair Value estimates.
The transactions were executed in multiple trades, with prices ranging from $54.40 to $55.14 per share. Following these sales, DeFazio retains ownership of 100,628 shares directly and 17,184 shares indirectly through an LLC. Additionally, he holds 3,528.371 shares indirectly by way of a 401(k) plan.
These sales come as part of routine transactions and reflect DeFazio’s ongoing management of his investment portfolio.
In other recent news, Metropolitan Bank Holding reported impressive financial results for the fourth quarter of 2024, surpassing Wall Street expectations. The bank achieved an earnings per share (EPS) of $1.88, significantly exceeding the forecasted $1.49, and reported revenue of $71 million, which also beat the anticipated $67.46 million. In addition to this strong performance, Metropolitan Bank has announced a $50 million stock buyback plan, a move aimed at enhancing shareholder value and reflecting confidence in its long-term growth prospects. This initiative marks the first share repurchase program since the company’s public offering in 2017.
Furthermore, the bank has received an Outperform rating from Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, with a price target of $85.00, highlighting the potential upside of the buyback program. The share repurchase plan, which does not have an expiration date, is expected to positively impact the bank’s earnings per share by over 8% if executed fully. Metropolitan Bank’s strategic shift towards technology-driven operations and its successful exit from the Banking-as-a-Service (BaaS) business have bolstered its competitive position.
Additionally, the bank has experienced significant deposit and loan growth, with new loans at an average coupon of 7.8%. Looking ahead, Metropolitan Bank projects a net interest margin of 3.7% to 3.75% for 2025, with loan growth expected between 9-11%. These developments underscore the bank’s operational efficiency and strategic initiatives in a challenging market environment.
This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.