What Happened?
Shares of offshore banking group Butterfield Bank (NYSE:NTB) jumped 2.7% in the morning session after the company announced that its Board of Directors approved a new $140 million share repurchase program. The plan authorized the bank to buy back up to 3.0 million of its ordinary shares through December 31, 2026. This new program was set to begin on January 1, 2026, and replaced an existing repurchase plan. Share buybacks reduce the number of shares available on the market, which can increase the value of the remaining shares. This move was often seen by investors as a sign of confidence from a company's leadership in its own financial future and a commitment to returning value to its shareholders.
After the initial pop the shares cooled down to $50.39, up 2.8% from previous close.
Is now the time to buy Butterfield Bank? Access our full analysis report here.
What Is The Market Telling Us
Butterfield Bank’s shares are not very volatile and have only had 3 moves greater than 5% over the last year. In that context, today’s move indicates the market considers this news meaningful, although it might not be something that would fundamentally change its perception of the business.
The biggest move we wrote about over the last year was 4 months ago when the stock gained 3.8% on the news that after the company reported strong second-quarter financial results that beat analyst expectations and announced an increase in its shareholder returns. The bank posted earnings per share of $1.26, surpassing consensus estimates, on revenue of $146.40 million, which marked a 2.31% increase year-over-year. Alongside the positive earnings, Butterfield announced a 14% increase to its quarterly dividend, bringing it to $0.50 per share, and initiated a new share repurchase program. This enhanced capital return strategy, coupled with the strong quarterly performance, underscored management's confidence and commitment to delivering shareholder value. The reported earnings also represented a notable improvement compared to the $1.09 per share earned in the same quarter of the prior year.
Butterfield Bank is up 38.6% since the beginning of the year, and at $50.39 per share, has set a new 52-week high. Investors who bought $1,000 worth of Butterfield Bank’s shares 5 years ago would now be looking at an investment worth $1,615.
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