Keefe, Bruyette & Woods Boosts First BanCorp. (NYSE:FBP) Price Target to $24.50

First BanCorp. (NYSE:FBP) had its price target increased by investment analysts at Keefe, Bruyette & Woods from $24.00 to $24.50 in a research note issued on Wednesday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage presently has a “market perform” rating on the bank’s stock. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods’ target price would indicate a potential upside of 12.26% from the stock’s current price.

A number of other equities research analysts also recently commented on the company. Piper Sandler began coverage on First BanCorp. in a research report on Thursday, January 15th. They issued a “neutral” rating and a $23.00 target price on the stock. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “buy (b)” rating on shares of First BanCorp. in a research note on Thursday, January 22nd. Hovde Group increased their target price on First BanCorp. from $25.00 to $26.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Wednesday. UBS Group set a $25.00 target price on shares of First BanCorp. in a report on Thursday, October 9th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company lowered their price objective on shares of First BanCorp. from $25.00 to $23.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Monday, October 27th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $24.25.

First BanCorp. Price Performance

FBP stock traded down $0.16 during midday trading on Wednesday, hitting $21.83. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 495,442 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,335,536. The company has a quick ratio of 0.80, a current ratio of 0.81 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.15. First BanCorp. has a 12 month low of $16.40 and a 12 month high of $22.60. The company has a 50 day moving average of $20.87 and a two-hundred day moving average of $21.10. The firm has a market capitalization of $3.45 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 10.59, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.16 and a beta of 0.88.

First BanCorp. (NYSE:FBP) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, January 27th. The bank reported $0.55 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.52 by $0.03. First BanCorp. had a net margin of 26.73% and a return on equity of 17.45%. The firm had revenue of $257.17 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $256.18 million. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $0.46 earnings per share. On average, analysts expect that First BanCorp. will post 1.85 EPS for the current year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On First BanCorp.

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of FBP. GAMMA Investing LLC purchased a new stake in shares of First BanCorp. during the second quarter valued at $29,000. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in First BanCorp. by 151.7% during the 2nd quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,873 shares of the bank’s stock valued at $39,000 after buying an additional 1,129 shares in the last quarter. First Horizon Corp purchased a new stake in First BanCorp. in the 4th quarter valued at about $40,000. Hantz Financial Services Inc. boosted its position in First BanCorp. by 1,695.8% in the 3rd quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. now owns 2,155 shares of the bank’s stock valued at $48,000 after buying an additional 2,035 shares during the period. Finally, Jones Financial Companies Lllp grew its stake in First BanCorp. by 328.8% in the 1st quarter. Jones Financial Companies Lllp now owns 2,950 shares of the bank’s stock worth $57,000 after acquiring an additional 2,262 shares in the last quarter. 97.91% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Key Headlines Impacting First BanCorp.

Here are the key news stories impacting First BanCorp. this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 results beat expectations — FBP reported $0.55 EPS vs. $0.52 consensus and revenue of $257.2M (vs. $256.2M est.), with strong net margin (26.7%) and ROE (17.5%), signaling resilient core performance. First BanCorp (NYSE:FBP) Exceeds Q4 CY2025 Expectations
• Positive Sentiment: Management laid out 2026 targets of 3–5% organic loan growth and a plan to return 100% of earnings to shareholders — a clear capital-return commitment that supports the recent dividend hike and boosts investor confidence. First BanCorp. outlines 3–5% organic loan growth and 100% earnings return strategy for 2026
• Positive Sentiment: Dividend increase — FBP raised its quarterly cash dividend to $0.20 (11.1% increase), implying a ~3.6% yield and reinforcing the bank’s shareholder-friendly stance; ex-dividend date set for Feb. 26. First BanCorp. Increases Quarterly Cash Dividend on Common Stock by 11% to $0.20
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst upgrade/price-target lift — Hovde Group raised its price target from $25 to $26 and assigned an “outperform” rating, implying meaningful upside to the current price and likely supporting buying interest.
• Neutral Sentiment: Conference materials and call transcripts published — Slide deck and earnings-call transcript are available for deeper review of credit trends, deposit dynamics, and segment details; useful for investors who want to validate sustainability of results. First BanCorp. (FBP) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst write-ups compare key metrics vs. estimates — Coverage from Zacks and others breaks down performance vs. street expectations and year-ago metrics; these analyses help gauge whether beats are one-off or sustainable. First Bancorp (FBP) Q4 Earnings and Revenues Surpass Estimates

About First BanCorp.

First BanCorp (NYSE: FBP) is a financial holding company headquartered in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Through its principal banking subsidiary, FirstBank Puerto Rico, the company offers a comprehensive range of banking services including commercial and consumer lending, deposit products, cash management solutions and treasury services. It also provides mortgage origination and servicing, equipment leasing, investment management, and insurance agency services.

In its commercial banking segment, First BanCorp serves small and midsize enterprises as well as large corporate clients, delivering tailored credit facilities, letters of credit, and foreign trade financing.