Huntington Bancshares Incorporated (NASDAQ: HBAN) traded higher on Tuesday, November 26, 2025, as investors continued to digest the regional bank’s aggressive M&A strategy, better‑than‑expected third‑quarter results, and steady dividend profile.
HBAN stock closed at $16.18, up about 1.7% on the day, with after‑hours trading nudging the price to around $16.23. That puts the bank’s market capitalization near $25.4 billion and leaves shares still roughly 10% below their 52‑week high around $18.45 set last November. [1]
All data in this article are as of the U.S. market close on November 26, 2025, unless otherwise noted.
HBAN stock price today: quick snapshot (Nov. 26, 2025)
- Closing price: $16.18
- Daily move: +$0.27 (+1.70%) [2]
- After‑hours quote (approx.): $16.23 [3]
- Market cap: ~$25.4 billion [4]
- Trailing P/E: ~11.3x
- Forward P/E: ~9.8x [5]
- Dividend yield: ~3.8–3.9% on a $0.62 annual payout [6]
- 52‑week performance: about ‑9.9% over the past year [7]
In other words, HBAN is off its highs but well above its lows, trading at a discount to the broader market’s earnings multiples while still offering an above‑market dividend yield.
1. Expansion mode: Veritex and Cadence deals reshape the HBAN story
A big part of the HBAN investment narrative in late 2025 is inorganic growth — Huntington is aggressively using M&A to expand its footprint in high‑growth U.S. regions.
Veritex acquisition: deepening roots in Texas
In October 2025, Huntington closed its acquisition of Veritex Holdings, adding 31 Texas branches and accelerating its push into the Dallas–Fort Worth and Houston markets. Post‑deal, the combined franchise now operates more than 1,000 locations with roughly $223 billion in assets, $176 billion in deposits, and $148 billion in loans. [8]
The Veritex transaction is expected to provide about $20 million in core pre‑provision net revenue benefits, or roughly $0.01 of EPS in Q4 2025, along with a meaningful improvement in efficiency and return on tangible common equity (ROTCE), according to estimates cited in the Zacks analysis. [9]
Cadence Bank: a $7.4 billion bet on the South
Just as the market was starting to price in Veritex synergies, Huntington announced an even bigger move: a $7.4 billion all‑stock acquisition of Cadence Bank (NYSE: CADE) on October 27, 2025. [10]
Key details of the Cadence deal:
- Target: Cadence Bank, a ~$53 billion regional bank with 390+ locations across Texas and the U.S. South [11]
- Consideration: 100% stock, 2.475 HBAN shares per CADE share, valuing Cadence at $39.77 per share based on HBAN’s $16.07 closing price on Oct. 24 [12]
- Implied premium: About 9% above Cadence’s pre‑announcement price [13]
- Pro‑forma scale: ~$276 billion in assets and ~$220 billion in deposits [14]
- Market position:
- Top‑10 bank by deposits across Texas
- #1 bank in Mississippi
- Top‑10 by deposits in Alabama and Arkansas [15]
- EPS impact: Management estimates ~10% EPS accretion once synergies are realized, with about 7% tangible book value dilution and a three‑year earn‑back period. [16]
If both Veritex and Cadence integrate smoothly, Huntington will have a strategic presence in 12 of the 25 largest U.S. metro areas and operate in 21 states, including fast‑growing markets like Houston, Dallas, Austin, Atlanta, Nashville, Orlando and Tampa. [17]
That expansion could be a major long‑term catalyst — but it also introduces new execution and regulatory risks (more on that below).
2. Q3 2025 earnings: a clean beat with strong loan growth
The bullish case around HBAN isn’t just about acquisitions. Core performance in 2025 has been solid, capped by a strong third quarter.
Headline numbers
For Q3 2025 (reported October 17), Huntington delivered: [18]
- EPS: $0.41, up $0.07 from Q2 and $0.08 from Q3 2024
- Net interest income: up 3% quarter‑over‑quarter and 11% year‑over‑year
- Noninterest income: up 33% sequentially and 20% year‑over‑year
- Average total loans and leases:
- Up 2% QoQ to $135.9 billion
- Up 9% YoY, with commercial loans growing even faster
Zacks estimates indicate that HBAN posted positive surprises on both earnings and revenue, with EPS beating consensus by roughly 5.3% and revenue by about 4.6% for the quarter ended September 2025. [19]
Credit quality remains a strength
The company continues to stress “top‑tier” credit quality, noting net charge‑offs around 0.22% of average loans and stable non‑performing asset metrics in Q3. [20]
Earlier in 2025, Q1 results also highlighted improving credit metrics, with net charge‑offs of 0.26% and a nonperforming asset ratio of 0.61%, alongside a CET1 ratio of 10.6% and tangible book value per share up 13% year‑over‑year. [21]
Taken together, 2025 so far has looked like a “growth without losing discipline” year: Huntington is expanding its loan book, holding credit quality at solid levels, and growing earnings faster than many peers.
3. Valuation, dividend, and analyst expectations for HBAN stock
Earnings, margins and returns
According to recent statistics, Huntington generated over the last 12 months: [22]
- Revenue: about $7.5 billion
- Net income: about $2.11 billion
- EPS (TTM): $1.43
- Net profit margin: roughly 30%
- Return on equity (ROE): ~10.4%
- Return on assets (ROA): ~1.1%
Those profitability metrics are healthy for a regional bank, though not extraordinary, and they need to be viewed in the context of rising scale and integration costs from recent deals.
Valuation vs. growth outlook
On today’s close around $16.18, HBAN trades at: [23]
- Trailing P/E: ~11.3x
- Forward P/E: ~9.5–9.8x (slightly below the industry average cited around 9.7x)
- PEG ratio: around 0.5–0.7, suggesting that expected earnings growth may outpace the multiple investors are paying
Zacks’ analysis points to consensus EPS growth estimates of about 20.9% for 2025 and 13.1% for 2026, with HBAN carrying a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) — essentially a neutral near‑term stance despite solid long‑term growth projections. [24]
From StockAnalysis and other aggregators:
- Average 12‑month price target: about $19.38, implying nearly 20% upside from today’s close
- Analyst consensus rating:“Buy”, based on roughly 18 covering analysts [25]
Other individual firms cited in recent coverage include JPMorgan (Overweight), DA Davidson (Buy, $21 price target), and TD Cowen (Buy, $23 target), all of which frame HBAN as a regional bank with upside potential tied to successful execution of its expansion strategy. [26]
Dividend profile: income plus growth
For income‑oriented investors, HBAN continues to look attractive:
- Forward annual dividend: $0.62 per share
- Dividend yield: roughly 3.8–3.9% at current prices [27]
- Payout ratio: around 43% of earnings
- Ex‑dividend date:December 18, 2025 [28]
MarketBeat notes that Huntington’s yield puts it in the top quartile of dividend‑paying stocks, and analysts generally view the payout as sustainable, with next‑year’s projected payout ratio drifting closer to the high‑30% range. [29]
4. Institutional flows and insider activity around HBAN
Institutional investors: big buyers and some trimming
Recent regulatory filings show active institutional positioning in HBAN:
- Jefferies Financial Group Inc. increased its stake in Huntington by 14,950% in Q2, now holding roughly 3.0 million shares valued at about $50.4 million. [30]
- Dynamic Technology Lab Private Ltd initiated a new position of 27,813 shares, worth approximately $466,000. [31]
- Legal & General Group Plc trimmed its stake by about 1%, selling 93,824 shares but remaining a large shareholder. [32]
Broadly, about 80–84% of HBAN shares are held by institutions, reflecting strong interest from large asset managers. [33]
Insider selling: headline noise or red flag?
On November 21, 2025, Senior Executive Vice President Houston Helga sold 64,587 shares of HBAN, worth roughly $993,000 at prices between $15.37 and $15.51. The sale followed the exercise of stock options, and Helga still retains sizable direct and indirect holdings in the company. [34]
Another senior executive, Marcy Hingst, also sold shares earlier in November. [35]
Insiders sell stock for many reasons — including diversification and tax planning — so these transactions don’t automatically signal trouble. However, given the current M&A and integration phase, some investors will watch insider activity closely for any change in tone.
5. Credit ratings: Moody’s turns cautious after Cadence deal
One of the few recent negatives in the HBAN story came from the rating agencies.
Following the Cadence Bank acquisition announcement, Moody’s affirmed Huntington’s long‑term ratings but revised its outlook to “negative”. [36]
Key points:
- Huntington Bancshares (holding company):
- Senior unsecured rating: Baa1 (Moody’s)
- Outlook: Negative [37]
- The Huntington National Bank (operating bank):
- Long‑term deposit rating: A1
- Outlook: Negative [38]
Moody’s flagged integration and execution risk tied to the back‑to‑back acquisitions of Veritex and Cadence as the main driver of the outlook change, while still acknowledging Huntington’s solid franchise and the long‑term strategic logic of the deals. [39]
Other agencies, including S&P, Fitch, and DBRS, currently maintain stable outlooks on Huntington’s core bank ratings, indicating that broader rating pressure remains limited for now. [40]
6. HBAN fundamentals at a glance
From a fundamentals standpoint, Huntington Bancshares today looks like a scaled, profitable regional bank with a growing footprint and reasonable risk metrics.
By the numbers (TTM): [41]
- Revenue: ~$7.5 billion
- Net income: ~$2.1 billion
- EPS: $1.43
- ROE: ~10.4%
- ROA: ~1.1%
- Operating margin: ~38.5%
- Free cash flow: ~$2.47 billion (about $1.57 per share)
On the balance‑sheet side:
- Cash & equivalents: ~$13.5 billion
- Total debt: ~$17.9 billion
- Book value per share: ~$13.37
These metrics place HBAN squarely in the “solid but not flashy” camp: it’s not the cheapest bank by P/E, but the combination of earnings growth, dividend income, and M&A‑driven scale is what’s drawing attention.
7. Key risks investors are watching
Even with today’s positive price action, there are meaningful risks around HBAN stock:
- Integration risk. Huntington is undertaking two major bank integrations in rapid succession (Veritex and Cadence). If cost synergies are slower than expected, or revenue synergies fail to materialize, the projected EPS accretion could be undercut. [42]
- Regulatory and capital requirements. The combined Cadence/Veritex footprint and asset size will push Huntington further into the realm of Category III institutions, bringing stricter capital, liquidity and stress‑testing requirements. Moody’s negative outlook explicitly reflects these evolving requirements and execution risk. [43]
- Interest‑rate and credit‑cycle exposure. Like all banks, HBAN is sensitive to:
- Net interest margin compression if rates fall faster than expected.
- Rising credit losses if the economic cycle softens, particularly in commercial real estate and consumer credit.
- Market sentiment toward regional banks. Sector‑wide concerns — from prior bank failures to CRE headlines — can weigh on valuations even when individual fundamentals remain solid.
8. What today’s move in HBAN stock could mean
Today’s 1.7% gain leaves HBAN trading: [44]
- Below its 52‑week high near $18.45
- Roughly 10% lower than a year ago on a price‑only basis
- At a discount to the S&P 500’s P/E, with a near‑4% dividend yield
For bullish investors, the case around HBAN today tends to emphasize:
- Scale and reach: A post‑Cadence Huntington will be a top‑10 regional bank with national relevance in high‑growth markets. [45]
- Earnings growth potential: Double‑digit expected EPS growth in 2025 and 2026, plus synergy upside if integrations go smoothly. [46]
- Income + value: A near‑4% dividend with room for growth, trading at under 10x forward earnings. [47]
For more cautious investors, the focus is likely on:
- Moody’s negative outlook and the possibility of rating pressure if integration or credit conditions worsen. [48]
- The complexity of absorbing multiple banks at once, especially amid evolving regulation and a still‑uncertain macro backdrop.
- The fact that HBAN’s stock, while off its lows, has not yet reclaimed its prior highs, suggesting that the market is still applying a discount for risk. [49]
Bottom line on HBAN stock today
On November 26, 2025, HBAN looks like a scaled, expanding regional bank in the middle of a major strategic pivot:
- Near term, the stock is reacting to strong Q3 earnings, ongoing institutional interest, and the promise of M&A synergies — offset by rating‑agency caution and insider selling headlines.
- Long term, Huntington’s ability to integrate Veritex and Cadence, maintain credit quality, and meet tougher regulatory standards will likely determine whether HBAN stock grows into its “buy‑rated” consensus targets or remains stuck in value territory.
Important note
This article is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, or trading advice. Stock prices, estimates, and other figures can change quickly. Always do your own research and consider consulting a licensed financial professional before making investment decisions.
References
1. stockanalysis.com, 2. stockanalysis.com, 3. stockanalysis.com, 4. stockanalysis.com, 5. stockanalysis.com, 6. stockanalysis.com, 7. stockanalysis.com, 8. www.tradingview.com, 9. www.tradingview.com, 10. ir.cadencebank.com, 11. ir.cadencebank.com, 12. ir.cadencebank.com, 13. www.investopedia.com, 14. ir.cadencebank.com, 15. ir.cadencebank.com, 16. ir.cadencebank.com, 17. ir.cadencebank.com, 18. www.prnewswire.com, 19. www.zacks.com, 20. www.prnewswire.com, 21. www.stocktitan.net, 22. stockanalysis.com, 23. stockanalysis.com, 24. www.tradingview.com, 25. stockanalysis.com, 26. www.investing.com, 27. stockanalysis.com, 28. stockanalysis.com, 29. www.marketbeat.com, 30. www.marketbeat.com, 31. www.marketbeat.com, 32. www.marketbeat.com, 33. stockanalysis.com, 34. www.investing.com, 35. www.gurufocus.com, 36. www.investing.com, 37. ir.huntington.com, 38. ir.huntington.com, 39. www.investing.com, 40. ir.huntington.com, 41. stockanalysis.com, 42. www.tradingview.com, 43. www.investing.com, 44. stockanalysis.com, 45. ir.cadencebank.com, 46. www.tradingview.com, 47. stockanalysis.com, 48. www.investing.com, 49. stockanalysis.com


