On Tuesday, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods adjusted their outlook on Bank of Hawaii (NYSE:BOH), increasing their price target to $60.00 from the previous $58.00. Despite this change, the firm maintained an Underperform rating on the bank's shares.
The revision comes after Bank of Hawaii's net interest margin (NIM) showed signs of improvement, with deposit costs beginning to stabilize. Additionally, the bank reported solid fee income with expectations for growth in the second half of 2024.
The analyst's remarks highlight a forecast for modest net interest income (NII) growth, suggesting an increase of approximately $1 million per quarter. This projection takes into account potential shifts in deposit mix.
The firm's conservative stance anticipates modest earnings per share (EPS) growth of 5% next year, with a return on tangible common equity (ROTCE) around 11%.
Keefe, Bruyette & Woods has also updated its 2024 earnings estimate for Bank of Hawaii, incorporating a $0.02 per share beat. However, they noted that their 2025 earnings estimate remains unchanged. The firm's current price target of $60 reflects a premium multiple of 16 times, which aligns with the historical relative valuation of Bank of Hawaii's shares.
The bank's shares are presently trading above the newly set price target, which implies that the analysts consider the stock to be valued higher than their assessment. The Underperform rating suggests that the firm advises caution to investors, signaling that the stock may not yield significant returns compared to the market or its sector peers in the near term.
In other recent news, Bank of Hawaii has experienced several key financial shifts. Piper Sandler has raised the bank's share price target to $70, based on an improved margin outlook, higher fee income forecast, and decreased expense outlook.
However, Jefferies has decreased its price target for Bank of Hawaii shares to $53, following the bank's announcement of a $165 million preferred equity raise with an 8% coupon.
This move is expected to boost the bank's Tier 1 and Total capital ratios, but it may result in a 9% reduction in earnings per share in Q1 2024.
Meanwhile, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods has increased the stock price target to $58, despite a miss on margin guidance, due to a slightly improved expense outlook. In contrast, Piper Sandler has reduced its price target to $60, anticipating narrower net interest margins and a reduced size of earning assets.
The bank's Q1 2024 performance showed stability with a net interest margin improvement and consistent non-interest income of $42.3 million. The bank reported a net income of $36.4 million with earnings per share of $0.87.
InvestingPro Insights
Bank of Hawaii (NYSE:BOH) has demonstrated both strengths and challenges as reflected in recent data and analysis. With a market capitalization of $2.75 billion and a trailing twelve-month P/E ratio of 19.18, the bank's valuation metrics present a mixed picture. On one hand, the bank has maintained a strong operating income margin of 36.29% over the last twelve months as of Q2 2024, suggesting efficient management of its operations.
InvestingPro Tips highlight the stock's current state, noting that it is in overbought territory according to the RSI, and that it suffers from weak gross profit margins. While net income is expected to drop this year, the bank has maintained dividend payments for 53 consecutive years, which could be appealing to income-focused investors. Additionally, analysts predict the company will be profitable this year, and it has been profitable over the last twelve months. The stock's price has seen strong returns over the last month and three months, with a 22.0% and 18.84% total price return respectively.
For investors seeking a deeper dive into Bank of Hawaii's financial health and future prospects, InvestingPro offers additional insights. There are more InvestingPro Tips available for those interested in a comprehensive analysis, which can be accessed at: https://www.investing.com/pro/BOH. Readers of this article can use the coupon code PRONEWS24 to get up to 10% off a yearly Pro and a yearly or biyearly Pro+ subscription to InvestingPro, unlocking valuable investment information and expert tips.
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