Key Highlights

  • NBT Bancorp raised its quarterly dividend 8.1% to $0.40, its fourteenth consecutive year of annual increases.
  • West Coast Community Bancorp raised its dividend $0.04 to $0.29, a 16% rise from an implied $0.25 (calculated).
  • Renasant approved a new $175.0 million repurchase program on October 27 after buying back $42.6 million in the quarter.
  • First Commonwealth Financial bought back about $88.0 million of stock (calculated) and added a $25 million authorization.
  • Western New England Bancorp and Provident Financial Holdings kept dividends at $0.07 and $0.14 while repurchasing shares.

Which Banks Raised Dividends or Announced Buybacks With Their October 27 Results?

Eight banks reported on Tuesday, October 27, with capital returns in the release. First Financial Bancorp (NASDAQ:FFBC) raised its quarterly dividend to $0.26 from $0.25, and NBT Bancorp (NASDAQ:NBTB) raised its to $0.40, up 8.1%. First Community Bankshares (NASDAQ:FCBC) went to $0.33 from $0.31, and West Coast Community Bancorp (NASDAQ:WCCB) to $0.29, up $0.04.

Renasant (NASDAQ:RNST) approved a new $175.0 million repurchase program, and First Commonwealth Financial (NYSE:FCF) added $25 million. Western New England Bancorp (NASDAQ:WNEB) and Provident Financial Holdings (NASDAQ:PROV) held dividends flat while buying back shares.

Three of the eight, Renasant, First Commonwealth Financial and Western New England, pointed to a new or queued repurchase authorization, while the other five either reported past buybacks or no repurchases. The mix runs from long dividend streaks to active buybacks, so the releases are most useful read side by side.

First Financial Bancorp: Does a $0.26 Dividend Come With a Pause in Buybacks?

The dividend rose to $0.26 from $0.25, payable December 15 to holders of record on December 1. No shares were repurchased in the first nine months. GAAP diluted EPS was $0.77 and adjusted EPS $0.84, against a screen estimate of $0.83. Closing of the Finward Bancorp (NASDAQ:FNWD) acquisition is targeted for January 1, 2027, pending state approval and a Finward shareholder vote.

NBT Bancorp: How Does an 8.1% Dividend Raise Sit With Small Repurchases?

The fourth-quarter dividend of $0.40 is up $0.03 from a year earlier, payable December 15 to holders of record on December 1. The company bought 20,118 shares in the quarter for $1.0 million at an average $50.02, and 113,364 shares since quarter end, leaving 1,297,923 authorized as of October 24. Diluted EPS was $1.11, and the common equity tier 1 ratio was 12.43%.

First Community Bankshares: What Does a 41st Year of Dividends Include?

The $0.33 dividend, up from $0.31, is payable November 27, 2026 to holders of record on November 13, and marks the 41st consecutive year of regular dividends. There were no repurchases in the third quarter, after the company bought 504,652 shares for $20.33 million in the first quarter. Diluted EPS was $0.81 against $0.67 a year earlier.

West Coast Community Bancorp: Why Raise the Dividend After a Record Quarter?

The board declared $0.29 per share, up $0.04, payable on or about November 6 to holders of record on November 2. Net income was $16.7 million, or $1.59 per diluted share ($1.50 adjusted), and common equity tier 1 capital was 13.33%. The release mentioned no repurchase program.

Renasant: How Large Is the New $175.0 Million Repurchase Program?

The program, approved October 27, runs to the earlier of October 2027 or full use. The company bought back $42.6 million of stock in the quarter at a weighted average of $41.05, and the $0.24 quarterly dividend, up from $0.22 a year ago, is a 27.59% payout ratio. Diluted EPS of $0.86 was down from $0.94 in the second quarter, and common equity tier 1 capital was 10.92%.

First Commonwealth Financial: Can Buybacks Continue as Capital Ratios Slip?

The bank repurchased 4.16 million shares at a weighted average $21.18, roughly $88.0 million (calculated), cutting period-end shares to 96.9 million. Common equity tier 1 capital fell to 11.9% from 12.6%. On October 27 the board authorized a further $25 million and declared a $0.14 dividend, up from $0.135 a year ago, payable November 20 to holders of record on November 6.

Western New England Bancorp: What Is the 1.0 Million Share Plan Behind a $0.07 Dividend?

The quarterly dividend stays at $0.07. The company repurchased 215,000 shares at an average $13.85, about $2.98 million (calculated), and 276,465 shares remain under the 2025 plan. A 2026 plan of up to 1.0 million shares, about 5.0% of shares outstanding, follows once it is completed. Net income was $6.3 million, or $0.32 per diluted share.

Provident Financial Holdings: Why Buy Back Shares Below Book Value?

The bank repurchased 86,431 shares at an average $18.30 against book value of $20.24, about 9.6% below book (calculated), and 88,174 shares remain under the program. Shares outstanding fell to 6,197,727. The $0.14 dividend was unchanged. Fiscal first-quarter EPS was $0.25, below a $0.32 screen estimate, and the CET1 ratio fell to 17.36% from 19.41%.

Bank Payouts Compared: Which Raise Was Largest and Which Buyback Was Biggest?

Using the earlier rate each release cites, West Coast's raise is the largest at 16.0%, followed by First Community Bankshares at about 6.5%, NBT Bancorp at 8.1% as stated, and First Financial Bancorp at 4.0% (calculated). Renasant's $0.24 is 9.1% above its year-ago $0.22, and First Commonwealth's $0.14 is 3.7% above $0.135 (calculated). Bases differ, since some compare with a prior quarter and others a year ago.

On repurchases, First Commonwealth's roughly $88.0 million in the quarter is about 2.1 times Renasant's $42.6 million, while Renasant's new $175.0 million program is seven times First Commonwealth's $25 million (calculated). NBT's $0.40 dividend is about 5.7 times the $0.07 at Western New England (calculated).

What to Watch Next: Which Payment Dates and Deal Steps Are Dated?

West Coast Community Bancorp has a November 2 record date and a payment on or about November 6. First Commonwealth Financial's record date is November 6 and payment November 20. First Community Bankshares pays on November 27, and First Financial Bancorp and NBT Bancorp both pay on December 15 to holders of record on December 1. Earnings calls were set for Wednesday, October 28 at First Financial Bancorp and Provident Financial Holdings, and the Finward closing is targeted for January 1, 2027. Renasant's new program runs until October 2027 unless the full amount is used sooner, so its pace will show up in later quarterly share counts.