First Bancshares (NASDAQ:FBMS) Earns Sell Rating from Analysts at StockNews.com

Equities research analysts at StockNews.com assumed coverage on shares of First Bancshares (NASDAQ:FBMS) in a note issued to investors on Saturday. The brokerage 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 report on Wednesday, December 4th.

First Bancshares Stock Performance

Shares of FBMS stock opened at $33.74 on Friday. First Bancshares has a 12 month low of $22.96 and a 12 month high of $39.21. The company’s fifty day simple moving average is $36.06 and its 200-day simple moving average is $35.04. The firm has a market cap of $1.05 billion, a PE ratio of 13.83 and a beta of 0.92. The company has a quick ratio of 0.84, a current ratio of 0.84 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.33.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On First Bancshares

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. lifted its stake in First Bancshares by 4.3% in the third quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 898,647 shares of the bank’s stock valued at $28,874,000 after acquiring an additional 37,167 shares during the last quarter. Dynamic Technology Lab Private Ltd bought a new stake in shares of First Bancshares in the 3rd quarter valued at about $389,000. Quantbot Technologies LP acquired a new stake in First Bancshares in the 3rd quarter valued at about $308,000. FMR LLC grew 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 purchasing an additional 1,076 shares during the period. Finally, Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund bought a new position in First Bancshares during the third quarter worth about $954,000. 69.95% of the stock is owned by 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.