KBC Group NV Raises Stock Position in Columbia Banking System, Inc. (NASDAQ:COLB)

KBC Group NV lifted its stake in Columbia Banking System, Inc. (NASDAQ:COLB) by 385.3% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 119,549 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after buying an additional 94,916 shares during the period. KBC Group NV owned approximately 0.06% of Columbia Banking System worth $3,229,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. GAMMA Investing LLC grew its holdings in shares of Columbia Banking System by 54.9% during the third quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 3,640 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $95,000 after purchasing an additional 1,290 shares during the last quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC grew its stake in Columbia Banking System by 1,507.6% during the 3rd quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC now owns 4,855 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $127,000 after buying an additional 4,553 shares during the last quarter. Hexagon Capital Partners LLC increased its position in Columbia Banking System by 26.5% during the third quarter. Hexagon Capital Partners LLC now owns 5,209 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $136,000 after buying an additional 1,091 shares during the period. Signaturefd LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Columbia Banking System by 14.0% in the third quarter. Signaturefd LLC now owns 5,767 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $151,000 after acquiring an additional 709 shares during the period. Finally, Blue Trust Inc. grew its position in shares of Columbia Banking System by 14.9% during the fourth quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 6,745 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $176,000 after acquiring an additional 875 shares during the last quarter. 92.53% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Columbia Banking System Trading Down 0.5 %

Shares of COLB opened at $27.90 on Friday. The firm’s 50-day moving average is $28.51 and its two-hundred day moving average is $26.93. Columbia Banking System, Inc. has a twelve month low of $17.08 and a twelve month high of $32.85. The firm has a market capitalization of $5.85 billion, a P/E ratio of 10.98 and a beta of 0.67.

Columbia Banking System (NASDAQ:COLB) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 23rd. The financial services provider reported $0.71 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.65 by $0.06. Columbia Banking System had a return on equity of 11.21% and a net margin of 17.99%. Analysts predict that Columbia Banking System, Inc. will post 2.74 EPS for the current year.

Columbia Banking System Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, December 16th. Investors of record on Friday, November 29th were paid a $0.36 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, November 29th. This represents a $1.44 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 5.16%. Columbia Banking System’s payout ratio is 56.69%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

COLB has been the subject of several research reports. Stephens reduced their price target on shares of Columbia Banking System from $33.00 to $31.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods reduced their target price on shares of Columbia Banking System from $34.00 to $33.00 and set a “market perform” rating for the company in a report on Friday, January 24th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their price target on Columbia Banking System from $32.00 to $30.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, January 7th. Royal Bank of Canada upped their price objective on Columbia Banking System from $29.00 to $31.00 and gave the company a “sector perform” rating in a research note on Friday, October 25th. Finally, Wedbush boosted their target price on Columbia Banking System from $31.00 to $35.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, October 25th. Ten analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Columbia Banking System currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $30.38.

Columbia Banking System Company Profile

Columbia Banking System, Inc operates as the holding company of Umpqua Bank that provides banking, private banking, mortgage, and other financial services in the United States. The company offers deposit products, including business, non-interest bearing checking, interest-bearing checking and savings, money market, and certificate of deposit accounts; and insured cash sweep and other investment sweep solutions.