Stephen Steinour, who serves as President, CEO and Chairman of Huntington Bancshares Inc (NASDAQ: HBAN), executed an open-market purchase of 32,277 shares of the company's common stock on March 12, 2026. The shares were acquired at $15.49 apiece, producing a total outlay of $499,970.
The insider purchase comes amid a flurry of analyst commentary and updated financial projections for Huntington. Several brokerage firms have restated their views on the bank, providing a mix of buy-side support and revised earnings guidance.
Recent analyst actions
- DA Davidson lowered its price target for Huntington to $20 from $21 but kept a Buy rating, pointing to integration risks tied to recent acquisitions.
- Truist Securities reaffirmed a Buy rating and a $21 price target, while trimming its earnings-per-share forecasts - cutting 2026 EPS from $1.70 to $1.60 and reducing the 2027 estimate from $2.00 to $1.92.
- Morgan Stanley continues to carry an Overweight rating with a $21 price objective, although it updated its 2027 EPS expectation to a range of $1.90-1.93 and noted the bank has underperformed recently. Morgan Stanley also retains Huntington as its Top Pick.
- Evercore ISI initiated coverage with an Outperform rating and a $21 target, highlighting the enlarged footprint in higher-growth geographies such as Texas and the Southeast following the Cadence acquisition.
These analyst moves underscore divergent assessments of Huntington's near-term profit trajectory and the execution risk associated with integrating recent deals. The mix of maintained Buy/Outperform stances and lowered earnings estimates reflects continued interest in the franchise alongside caution about near-term earnings momentum.
Contextual note - The transaction by the chief executive signals a personal capital commitment at the stated price, while the analyst commentary provides contemporaneous market views that adjust expectations for near-term earnings and reflect strategic considerations tied to recent acquisitions.