Stephens & Co. analyst Matt Olney has maintained an Overweight rating on Hancock Whitney (NASDAQ: HWC) while lowering the price target to $85 from $86. The revised target suggests a modest adjustment in the firm's valuation expectations for the stock.

The rating affirmation indicates continued confidence in the bank's performance despite the slight reduction in the price objective. Investors holding shares in Hancock Whitney will note the new target price as part of their ongoing assessment of the stock's potential.

Analyst Rating and Price Target

The following table outlines the revised analyst metrics for Hancock Whitney:

The Overweight stance implies that Stephens & Co. expects the stock to outperform the broader market or its sector peers over the near term. The $1 reduction in the price target may reflect minor shifts in earnings projections or market conditions.

Hancock Whitney Corporation reported net income of $127.0 million, or $1.55 per diluted share, for the second quarter of 2026. This compares to net income of $47.4 million, or $0.57 per diluted share, in the the first quarter of 2026, which included a pretax charge of $98.6 million related to a securities portfolio restructure. Net income for the second quarter of 2025 was $113.5 million, or $1.32 per diluted share.

The company delivered organic growth with loans increasing $588 million, or 10% on a linked-quarter annualized basis, to $24.6 billion. Deposits grew $548 million, or 8% linked-quarter annualized, to $29.6 billion, driven by a $785 million increase in interest-bearing transaction and savings accounts. Net interest income (TE) was $295.2 million, an increase of 3% from the prior quarter, while the net interest margin (NIM) (TE) improved 1 basis point to 3.56%.

Noninterest income totaled $108.4 million, up $100.9 million from the first quarter of 2026, primarily due to the absence of the prior quarter's loss on securities portfolio restructure. Noninterest expense totaled $225.4 million, up 2% linked-quarter. The company achieved a return on average assets (ROA) of 1.42% and an efficiency ratio of 55.31%.

Asset quality remained stable with criticized commercial loans decreasing to $492.0 million and nonaccrual loans virtually flat at $113.7 million. The allowance for credit losses was $348.0 million, or 1.42% of period-end loans.

Acquisition Update

Hancock Whitney received regulatory approval from the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, and the Mississippi Department of Banking and Consumer Finance to complete its acquisition of OFB Bancshares, Inc., the parent company of One Florida Bank. Shareholders of OFB Bancshares approved the merger agreement. The deal, announced on May 15, 2026, is expected to close on or about August 1, 2026.