First Bancshares (NASDAQ:FBMS) Sets New 52-Week High – Should You Buy?

The First Bancshares, Inc. (NASDAQ:FBMS) reached a new 52-week high on Monday . The stock traded as high as $38.72 and last traded at $38.72, with a volume of 9139 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $37.65.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of brokerages have recently issued reports on FBMS. StockNews.com assumed coverage on First Bancshares in a research note on Thursday, November 21st. They issued a “sell” rating on the stock. Janney Montgomery Scott cut shares of First Bancshares from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating in a research note on Thursday, October 24th. Finally, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods raised shares of First Bancshares from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating and upped their target price for the stock from $31.00 to $40.00 in a report on Friday, August 2nd. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have issued a hold rating and two have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $35.50.

First Bancshares Stock Down 1.2 %

The company has a quick ratio of 0.84, a current ratio of 0.84 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.33. The firm has a market capitalization of $1.18 billion, a PE ratio of 15.17 and a beta of 0.91. The business has a 50-day moving average price of $33.76 and a 200-day moving average price of $30.27.

First Bancshares Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, November 22nd. Shareholders of record on Friday, November 8th were issued a $0.25 dividend. This represents a $1.00 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.65%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, November 8th. First Bancshares’s payout ratio is currently 45.25%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Innealta Capital LLC purchased a new stake in shares of First Bancshares in the second quarter valued at about $36,000. CWM LLC boosted its holdings in First Bancshares by 3,387.8% in the 2nd quarter. CWM LLC now owns 1,709 shares of the bank’s stock valued at $44,000 after purchasing an additional 1,660 shares during the last quarter. Quest Partners LLC purchased a new stake in shares of First Bancshares in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $89,000. FMR LLC increased its holdings in shares of First Bancshares by 50.8% during the 3rd quarter. FMR LLC now owns 3,194 shares of the bank’s stock worth $103,000 after buying an additional 1,076 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Entropy Technologies LP purchased a new stake in shares of First Bancshares during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $203,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors 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.