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

Investment analysts at StockNews.com initiated coverage on shares of First Bancshares (NASDAQ:FBMS) in a research note issued on Saturday. The firm set a “sell” rating on the bank’s stock.

Several other research firms have also commented on FBMS. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods boosted their price target on First Bancshares from $40.00 to $45.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 4th. Janney Montgomery Scott lowered First Bancshares from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating in a research report on Thursday, October 24th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have given a hold rating and one has assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, First Bancshares has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $38.75.

First Bancshares Price Performance

First Bancshares stock opened at $38.38 on Friday. First Bancshares has a one year low of $22.96 and a one year high of $39.13. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.33, a quick ratio of 0.84 and a current ratio of 0.84. The business has a fifty day moving average of $35.92 and a two-hundred day moving average of $33.93. The company has a market cap of $1.20 billion, a P/E ratio of 15.73 and a beta of 0.94.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On First Bancshares

Several hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the business. CWM LLC increased its position in First Bancshares by 73.2% in the 3rd quarter. CWM LLC now owns 2,960 shares of the bank’s stock worth $95,000 after purchasing an additional 1,251 shares during the last quarter. FMR LLC increased its position in First Bancshares by 50.8% in the 3rd quarter. FMR LLC now owns 3,194 shares of the bank’s stock worth $103,000 after purchasing an additional 1,076 shares during the last quarter. Entropy Technologies LP acquired a new position in First Bancshares in the 3rd quarter worth about $203,000. Verition Fund Management LLC acquired a new position in First Bancshares in the 3rd quarter worth about $236,000. Finally, Quantbot Technologies LP acquired a new position in First Bancshares in the 3rd quarter worth about $308,000. 69.95% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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.