BANC Banc of California, Inc.

Voya Investment Management LLC significantly increased its stake in Banc of California, Inc. ($BANC) by 338.7% in Q3, now holding 166,298 shares valued at $2.75 million. Other institutional investors also built substantial positions, contributing to institutional ownership of 86.88% of the company. Banc of California reported solid Q3 earnings with an EPS of $1.03 and revenues of $315.66 million, maintains a "Moderate Buy" consensus rating with a $19.95 target price, and offers a quarterly dividend of $0.10.

Banc of California and PacWest Bancorp have officially received stockholder approval for their proposed merger, with over 98% of shares voted in favor from both institutions. The merger is anticipated to close around November 30, 2023, subject to closing conditions. Post-merger and balance sheet repositioning, the combined entity is projected to hold approximately $36 billion in assets, $25 billion in total loans, $30 billion in total deposits, and operate over 70 branches.

Sheets Smith Investment Management recently acquired 79,250 shares of Banc of California (NYSE:BANC), valued at approximately $1.312 million, signifying an increasing institutional interest in the company. Several analysts have upgraded the stock, contributing to an average "Moderate Buy" rating and a price target of $19.55. Banc of California also declared a quarterly dividend of $0.10, providing an annualized yield of 2.0%.

Piper Sandler analyst Matthew Clark maintained a Buy rating on Banc of California (BANC) with a $24.00 price target. This follows a similar Buy rating from J.P. Morgan with a $32.00 price target. The company reported strong financial results for the quarter ending September 30, with increased revenue and net profit compared to the previous year.

This article advises selling Banc of California (BANC) despite its recent stock rally, citing concerns over stagnant net interest income and sluggish tangible book value per share growth. The author suggests the company's fundamentals are shaky, presenting too much downside risk, and recommends investing in high-quality, market-beating stocks instead. Specific examples of high-performing stocks like Nvidia and Exlservice are mentioned as alternatives.

This article discusses the December 2025 Easy Income Portfolio, focusing on community banks amidst changing monetary policy and the rise of AI. It highlights how these banks must adapt to increased competition and evolving customer expectations, emphasizing precision in capital allocation, technology investment, customer engagement, and M&A. The portfolio review showcases strong performance for the month, with several community banks demonstrating solid capital positions and attractive valuations.