First Bancshares (NASDAQ:FBMS) Coverage Initiated by Analysts at StockNews.com

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

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

First Bancshares Trading Down 0.9 %

Shares of NASDAQ FBMS opened at $35.20 on Thursday. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $35.93 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $33.03. The stock has a market cap of $1.10 billion, a P/E ratio of 15.93 and a beta of 0.94. First Bancshares has a 52-week low of $22.96 and a 52-week high of $39.08. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.33, a quick ratio of 0.84 and a current ratio of 0.84.

First Bancshares Announces Dividend

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

Institutional Trading of First Bancshares

Institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. CWM LLC lifted its stake in shares of First Bancshares by 73.2% in the 3rd quarter. CWM LLC now owns 2,960 shares of the bank’s stock valued at $95,000 after purchasing an additional 1,251 shares during the period. FMR LLC increased its holdings in First Bancshares by 50.8% in the third quarter. FMR LLC now owns 3,194 shares of the bank’s stock worth $103,000 after purchasing an additional 1,076 shares in the last quarter. Entropy Technologies LP bought a new stake in First Bancshares in the third quarter worth approximately $203,000. Arizona State Retirement System bought a new position in shares of First Bancshares during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $216,000. Finally, Verition Fund Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of First Bancshares during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $236,000. Institutional investors 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.