StockNews.com Begins Coverage on First Bancshares (NASDAQ:FBMS)

Research analysts at StockNews.com started coverage on shares of First Bancshares (NASDAQ:FBMS) in a note issued to investors on Tuesday. The brokerage set a “sell” rating on the bank’s stock.

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

First Bancshares Stock Performance

NASDAQ FBMS opened at $35.01 on Tuesday. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $35.67 and a 200-day simple moving average of $32.15. The company has a current ratio of 0.84, a quick ratio of 0.84 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.33. The stock has a market cap of $1.09 billion, a PE ratio of 15.84 and a beta of 0.93. First Bancshares has a twelve month low of $22.96 and a twelve month high of $39.08.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On First Bancshares

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of FBMS. CWM LLC increased its stake in 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 in the last quarter. FMR LLC grew its holdings in First Bancshares by 50.8% in the third quarter. FMR LLC now owns 3,194 shares of the bank’s stock valued at $103,000 after purchasing an additional 1,076 shares during the last quarter. Quest Partners LLC purchased a new position in shares of First Bancshares in the second quarter valued at $89,000. Entropy Technologies LP acquired a new position in shares of First Bancshares during the 3rd quarter worth $203,000. Finally, Verition Fund Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of First Bancshares in the 3rd quarter worth about $236,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds 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.