United Community Banks (NYSE:UCB) Price Target Raised to $36.00

United Community Banks (NYSE:UCB) had its price target hoisted by Keefe, Bruyette & Woods from $34.00 to $36.00 in a research report report published on Thursday,Benzinga reports. They currently have a market perform rating on the stock.

Separately, Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “hold (c+)” rating on shares of United Community Banks in a research note on Wednesday, October 8th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, three have given a Buy rating and four have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $37.00.

United Community Banks Stock Down 0.2%

Shares of NYSE UCB opened at $33.85 on Thursday. The company has a market capitalization of $4.11 billion, a P/E ratio of 12.97 and a beta of 0.83. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.03, a current ratio of 0.81 and a quick ratio of 0.80. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $31.58 and a 200-day simple moving average of $31.39. United Community Banks has a 1 year low of $22.93 and a 1 year high of $34.57.

United Community Banks (NYSE:UCB) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 14th. The company reported $0.71 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.73 by ($0.02). The business had revenue of $278.39 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $273.80 million. United Community Banks had a net margin of 21.35% and a return on equity of 9.49%. The company’s revenue was up 11.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $0.61 earnings per share.

United Community Banks declared that its board has approved a stock repurchase program on Monday, December 8th that permits the company to buyback $100.00 million in shares. This buyback authorization permits the company to purchase up to 2.6% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback programs are typically an indication that the company’s leadership believes its stock is undervalued.

United Community Banks Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, January 5th. Shareholders of record on Monday, December 15th were paid a dividend of $0.25 per share. This represents a $1.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.0%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, December 15th. United Community Banks’s dividend payout ratio is 38.31%.

Insider Buying and Selling at United Community Banks

In related news, EVP Richard Bradshaw sold 1,654 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Monday, October 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $30.23, for a total value of $50,000.42. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 75,226 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,274,081.98. The trade was a 2.15% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Insiders own 0.43% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On United Community Banks

Institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Savant Capital LLC boosted its stake in shares of United Community Banks by 1.6% in the third quarter. Savant Capital LLC now owns 28,317 shares of the company’s stock valued at $888,000 after purchasing an additional 453 shares during the period. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC lifted its holdings in United Community Banks by 2.0% during the 3rd quarter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC now owns 26,189 shares of the company’s stock worth $840,000 after buying an additional 507 shares in the last quarter. Amalgamated Bank boosted its position in United Community Banks by 1.6% in the 2nd quarter. Amalgamated Bank now owns 34,550 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,029,000 after buying an additional 534 shares during the period. GAMMA Investing LLC grew its stake in shares of United Community Banks by 11.5% in the fourth quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 5,666 shares of the company’s stock worth $177,000 after acquiring an additional 586 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Louisiana State Employees Retirement System increased its position in shares of United Community Banks by 1.1% during the second quarter. Louisiana State Employees Retirement System now owns 56,800 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,692,000 after acquiring an additional 600 shares during the period. 82.29% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

United Community Banks News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting United Community Banks this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Zacks added UCB to multiple Rank #1 (Strong Buy) lists today — momentum, new strong-buy additions, and income stock picks — which can attract buy-side inflows and momentum traders. Best Momentum Stocks to Buy for Jan. 16
• Positive Sentiment: Zacks also listed UCB among its “New Strong Buy Stocks” and its “Best Income Stocks” for Jan. 16 — more third‑party buy signals that can support demand for the shares. New Strong Buy Stocks for January 16th
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts raised forecasts after Q4 results, indicating adjustments to estimates that may support higher valuations going forward. United Community Banks Analysts Increase Their Forecasts Following Q4 Earnings
• Positive Sentiment: Keefe, Bruyette & Woods raised its price target to $36 (market‑perform), signaling modest upside from current levels and providing a reference for investors. Benzinga
• Neutral Sentiment: The company released Q4 figures and an earnings-call recap noting strong revenue growth but EPS roughly in line / slightly below expectations — mixed fundamentals that explain both selling and analyst support. United Community Banks Inc (UCB) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Highlights
• Neutral Sentiment: Coverage note: Raymond James kept a “hold” on UCB, which may temper upside from some investors awaiting clearer catalysts. Raymond James Remains a Hold on United Community Banks (UCB)
• Neutral Sentiment: Market pieces are assessing UCB’s valuation as trading near analyst fair-value estimates, suggesting limited near-term upside unless growth/outlook improves. Assessing United Community Banks (UCB) Valuation
• Neutral Sentiment: Discussion of UCB as a dividend/growth dividend candidate — useful for income investors but less likely to move the stock quickly. Are You Looking for a High-Growth Dividend Stock?
• Negative Sentiment: Shares gapped down after the earnings release, cited as “weak” by market reports — that immediate selloff is the main reason for today’s price decline. United Community Banks (NYSE:UCB) Shares Gap Down Following Weak Earnings

About United Community Banks

United Community Banks, Inc (NYSE: UCB) is a bank holding company headquartered in Blairsville, Georgia. It operates primarily through its subsidiary, United Community Bank, providing a broad range of banking and financial services to individual, business and governmental customers. The company’s core offerings include deposit accounts, commercial and consumer lending, mortgage origination, treasury and cash management services, and wealth management.

In addition to traditional banking products such as checking, savings and money market accounts, United Community Bank specializes in commercial real estate financing, small business administration (SBA) loans, equipment financing and agricultural lending.