HBT Financial, Inc. (HBT) AI Stock Analysis
HBT AI stock analysis summary
AI ResearchHBT Financial, Inc. (HBT) is a bank holding company operating Heartland Bank and Trust Company across Illinois and Iowa. Over the trailing twelve months, the company generated $265.9M in revenue with a 29.2% profit margin and diluted EPS of $2.35. Its stock has returned 58.5% over the past year, outperforming the S&P 500 benchmark return of 16.8%.
- Market cap
- $1.29B
- Revenue (TTM)
- $265.9M
- P/E
- 15.1x
- 1Y return
- 58.5% S&P 500 16.8%
- Avg. target
- $40.20 13.0% vs last close
Bull case
- Quarterly revenue expanded 37.7% year-over-year in the quarter ended June 30, 2026, accompanied by 24.6% quarterly earnings growth.
- The company maintains a strong liquidity position with $1.67B in cash and short-term investments relative to $149.3M in total debt.
- HBT has delivered a 58.5% one-year return, outperforming the S&P 500 return of 16.8%.
Bear case
- At 15.1x trailing earnings, HBT trades above the US-listed Financial Services peer median of 12.1x.
- Annual operating margin decreased from 46.6% in FY2021 to 35.6% in FY2025.
- Over the last 4 quarters, the company met or exceeded consensus EPS expectations only 2 times.
What HBT Financial does
HBT Financial, Inc. operates as the bank holding company for Heartland Bank and Trust Company, founded in 1920 and headquartered in Bloomington, Illinois. Across 57 branch locations in Central and Northeastern Illinois as well as Eastern Iowa, the company provides deposit products such as demand deposits, money market accounts, certificates of deposit, and individual retirement accounts. Its lending portfolio includes commercial real estate, construction, agricultural, multi-family, commercial and industrial, and one-to-four family residential loans. Additionally, HBT Financial provides wealth management, corporate retirement plan consulting, farmland management, crop insurance, and treasury management services.
Growth and profitability
HBT Financial expanded annual revenue from $164.2M in FY2021 to $293.3M in FY2025, reflecting a five-year revenue CAGR of 13.3% from FY2020 to FY2025. Annual net income grew from $56.3M in FY2021 to $77.0M in FY2025, while EPS climbed from $2.05 to $2.53 over the same period. Operating margin stood at 35.6% in FY2025, compared to 46.6% in FY2021. For the trailing twelve months ending June 30, 2026, revenue reached $265.9M with an operating margin of 49.9% and a profit margin of 29.2%. In the latest quarter, quarterly revenue grew 37.7% year-over-year, while quarterly earnings rose 24.6%.
Balance sheet and cash flow
As of June 30, 2026, HBT Financial held $1.67B in cash and short-term investments against $149.3M in total debt, yielding net cash of $1.52B. Total assets stood at $6.73B and shareholders' equity was $764.7M, alongside a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.20 and a current ratio of 0.30. In FY2025, the company generated $85.1M in operating cash flow and $74.8M in free cash flow, deploying $10.2M toward capital expenditures, $4.5M for share buybacks, and $26.6M in dividend payments.
Valuation and performance
HBT trades at a trailing price-to-earnings multiple of 15.1x, higher than the 12.1x median of its US-listed Financial Services peers. Its price-to-sales ratio of 4.9x also trades at a premium to the peer median of 3.2x, while price-to-book stands at 1.7x. The company holds an enterprise value of $1.31B and a market capitalization of $1.29B. Over the past year, HBT gained 58.5%, significantly outpacing the 16.8% return for the S&P 500 (SPY). Over five years, the stock achieved a 147.8% return compared to 83.0% for SPY.
HBT dividend
HBT Financial pays a forward annual dividend of $1.00 per share, delivering a dividend yield of 2.81% with a payout ratio of 38.2%. Distributed quarterly, the dividend has been paid for 7 consecutive years and reflects an annualized five-year dividend growth rate of 7.0%. The last ex-dividend date was August 11, 2026.
What analysts expect
Wall Street coverage consists of 1 Strong Buy, 2 Buy, and 2 Hold ratings, with no Sell or Strong Sell recommendations. The mean price target of $40.20 implies an upside of 13.0% from the last close of $35.58. For the fiscal year ending December 31, 2026, analysts estimate EPS of $3.04 on revenue of $316.0M. The company beat EPS estimates in 2 of the last 4 quarters, and its next earnings date is October 26, 2026.
Key risks and what to watch
- Revenue growth slowed from 41.2% in FY2023 to 2.8% in FY2025 before the recent quarterly acceleration.
- The company's current ratio was 0.30 as of June 30, 2026, reflecting typical banking liquidity structures.
- Share count increased by 25.3% over the five-year period ending in FY2025, creating potential dilution.
AI-generated research summary. Written with AI from Quotelinks data as of October 16, 2026 and checked so every figure matches that data. For information only, not investment advice. Disclaimer
About this HBT AI stock analysis
This page is an AI-written research summary of HBT Financial, Inc. (HBT). The text was generated on October 30, 2026 from Quotelinks data as of October 16, 2026 (company profile, annual results, latest balance sheet, valuation, price performance and analyst estimates). An automatic check rejects any draft that contains a figure not found in that data. It is not investment advice; verify figures on the linked tabs before making decisions.
Related: HBT income statement, HBT balance sheet, HBT key metrics, HBT analyst forecast, HBT chart. See the HBT stock overview for the latest quote and news.
HBT AI stock analysis FAQ
What is HBT Financial's dividend yield and payout schedule?
HBT pays an annual forward dividend of $1.00 per share, resulting in a dividend yield of 2.81%. Dividends are distributed on a quarterly basis with a payout ratio of 38.2%.
When is HBT Financial's next earnings report?
HBT Financial is scheduled to report its next earnings on October 26, 2026.
How do analysts rate HBT stock?
HBT has 5 analyst ratings consisting of 1 Strong Buy, 2 Buys, and 2 Holds, with an average price target of $40.20.
What is HBT Financial's debt level?
As of June 30, 2026, HBT Financial carried $149.3M in total debt against $1.67B in cash and short-term investments, resulting in net cash of $1.52B.