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

Analysts at StockNews.com began coverage on shares of First Bancshares (NASDAQ:FBMS) in a report issued on Friday. The firm set a “sell” rating on the bank’s stock.

Separately, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods boosted their price target on shares of First Bancshares from $40.00 to $45.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Wednesday, December 4th.

First Bancshares Trading Up 0.7 %

NASDAQ FBMS opened at $35.07 on Friday. 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 firm has a market cap of $1.10 billion, a PE ratio of 14.37 and a beta of 0.92. First Bancshares has a one year low of $22.96 and a one year high of $39.21. The firm’s fifty day moving average is $36.03 and its two-hundred day moving average is $34.91.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in FBMS. Vestcor Inc acquired a new position in shares of First Bancshares during the fourth quarter worth about $25,000. Meeder Asset Management Inc. purchased a new stake in First Bancshares during the fourth quarter worth about $29,000. Sterling Capital Management LLC boosted its holdings in First Bancshares by 864.4% during the fourth quarter. Sterling Capital Management LLC now owns 974 shares of the bank’s stock worth $34,000 after buying an additional 873 shares in the last quarter. FMR LLC boosted its holdings in First Bancshares by 50.8% during the third quarter. FMR LLC now owns 3,194 shares of the bank’s stock worth $103,000 after buying an additional 1,076 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Tower Research Capital LLC TRC boosted its holdings in First Bancshares by 26.0% during the fourth quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC now owns 3,102 shares of the bank’s stock worth $109,000 after buying an additional 641 shares in the last quarter. 69.95% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

First Bancshares Company Profile

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.