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3 Reasons That Make Civista Bancshares (CIVB) Stock a Key Pick

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It seems to be a wise idea to invest in Civista Bancshares, Inc. (CIVB - Free Report) stock right now. The company’s robust fundamentals and steady revenue growth prospects make it an attractive choice for investors.

Moreover, it has been witnessing upward earnings estimate revisions, of late, reflecting that analysts are optimistic regarding its earnings growth potential. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the company’s current-year earnings has been revised 2.7% upward over the past 30 days. Thus, Civista Bancshares currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).

Further, the company’s price performance seems impressive. So far this year, the stock has gained 31.8%, outperforming 19.8% growth recorded by the industry.
 

Zacks Investment ResearchImage Source: Zacks Investment Research

Here are some of the factors that make Civista Bancshares stock a key pick right now.

Earnings per Share (EPS) Growth: Civista Bancshares witnessed EPS growth of 10.9% in the last three to five years. This upward momentum is expected to continue in the near term, as reflected by the company’s projected earnings growth rate of 15% for 2021.

Moreover, the company has an impressive earnings surprise history. Its earnings have surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate in each of the trailing four quarters, with an average beat of 36.5%.

Revenue Strength: Backed by steady loan growth, Civista Bancshares’ revenues witnessed a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14.5% over the last six years (2015-2020). Moreover, the company’s projected sales growth rate of 2.9% for 2021 ensures the continuation of the upward revenue trend.

Valuation Favorable: Civista Bancshares’ stock currently seems undervalued when compared with the broader industry. It has a price-to-earnings (F1) ratio of 9.92, lower than the industry average of 11.46. Also, its price-book ratio of 1.03 falls below the industry’s 1.19.

Further, the stock has a Value Score of A. Our research shows that stocks with a Value Score of A or B, when combined with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) or 2,offer the best upside potential.

Other Stocks Worth Considering

A few other top-ranked stocks from the finance space are mentioned below.

LPL Financial Holdings Inc.’s (LPLA - Free Report) Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current-year earnings has increased 5.5% over the past 60 days. The stock has gained 32.7% so far this year. It currently carries a Zacks Rank #2. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

UMB Financial Corporation’s (UMBF - Free Report) current-year earnings estimates have been revised 25.9% upward over the past 60 days. The Zacks Ranked #2 stock has gained 37.5% in the year-to-date period.

Over the past 60 days, Evercore Inc. (EVR - Free Report) has witnessed an upward earnings estimate revision of 8.3% for the current year. It also carries a Zacks Rank of 2. Shares of the company have gained 25.6% so far this year.

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