Stock Markets
Isabella bank’s CFO William Schaefer buys shares worth $3,999
William M. Schaefer, the Chief Financial Officer of Isabella Bank Corp (OTC:ISBA), recently acquired additional shares of the company. According to a recent SEC filing, Schaefer purchased 162 shares of Isabella Bank common stock on January 2, 2025, at a price of $24.69 per share. The stock, currently trading near its 52-week high of $26.23, has shown impressive momentum with a 40% gain over the past six months. InvestingPro analysis suggests the stock is currently undervalued. This transaction amounted to a total value of $3,999. Following this acquisition, Schaefer’s direct ownership in the bank increased to 6,005 shares. It is noted that this includes shares acquired through quarterly dividend reinvestment. The bank maintains a notable 4.31% dividend yield and has consistently paid dividends for 17 consecutive years, according to InvestingPro data.
In other recent news, Isabella Bank Corp has been the subject of several significant developments. Piper Sandler has raised the price target for Isabella Bank shares to $24, maintaining a Neutral rating. This adjustment comes after an analysis of the bank’s third-quarter performance, which showed a 3% pre-provision net revenue (PPNR) upside driven by net interest margin (NIM) expansion. The firm also revised its earnings per share (EPS) estimates for the fourth quarter of 2024 and the full year 2025 to $0.49 and $2.40, respectively, based on higher net interest income (NII) assumptions.
On another note, Isabella Bank faces a potential loss of approximately $1.6 million due to negative balances in deposit accounts associated with a single customer, with the total exposure to this customer amounting to $4.0 million. The bank is currently assessing the potential credit losses. Despite this, Piper Sandler maintained a Neutral rating on the bank’s shares.
Additionally, the bank declared a third-quarter cash dividend of $0.28 per common share, reflecting its commitment to enhancing shareholder value. Piper Sandler highlighted the bank’s attractive 5.6% dividend yield, surpassing the peer average of 3.2%. These recent developments provide insights into the bank’s financial performance and future expectations as per analysts’ projections.
This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.
Stock Markets
Constellation nears acquisition of Calpine in major power deal, Bloomberg News
Constellation Energy (NASDAQ:) Corp. is on the verge of acquiring Calpine Corp., a move that could mark one of the most significant transactions in the power generation industry, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday.
Baltimore-based Constellation is negotiating with Calpine’s private equity owners to finalize the terms of a deal that could place the value of Calpine at approximately $30 billion, including the assumption of debt, the report said, citing people familiar with the matter.
The potential acquisition, which could be announced within the next few weeks, is still subject to ongoing deliberations, report added.
Constellation’s interest in Calpine underscores the strategic moves within the power sector as companies seek to consolidate and expand their market presence.
While the exact terms of the deal are still being discussed, the acquisition’s completion would likely have considerable implications for both Constellation and the wider power generation sector.
This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.
Stock Markets
EU could lift some Syria sanctions quickly, France says
By John Irish and Alexander Ratz
PARIS/BERLIN (Reuters) -European Union sanctions in Syria that obstruct the delivery of humanitarian aid and hinder the country’s recovery could be lifted swiftly, France’s foreign minister said Wednesday.
The United States on Monday issued a sanctions exemption for transactions with governing institutions in Syria for six months after the end of Bashar al-Assad’s rule to try to ease the flow of humanitarian assistance.
Speaking to France Inter radio, Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said the EU could take a similar decision soon without giving precise timing, while adding that lifting more political sanctions would depend on how Syria’s new leadership handled the transition.
“There are other (sanctions), which today hinder access to humanitarian aid, which hinder the recovery of the country. These could be lifted quickly,” said Barrot, who met Syria’s de facto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa on Friday with Germany’s foreign minister.
“Finally, there are other sanctions, which we are discussing with our European partners, which could be lifted, but obviously depending on the pace at which our expectations for Syria regarding women and security are taken into account.”
Three European diplomats speaking on condition of anonymity said the EU would seek to agree to lift some sanctions by the time the bloc’s 27 foreign ministers meet in Brussels on Jan. 27.
Two of the diplomats said one aim was to facilitate financial transactions to allow funds to return to the country, ease air transport and lessen sanctions targeting the energy sector to improve power supplies. A third said Germany had put forward a position paper on the potential sanctions to be lifted.
“Due to the new situation, existing sanctions are under scrutiny. Germany has already pitched ideas on this issue,” German foreign ministry spokesperson Christian Wagner said on Wednesday.
“The focus lies on economic questions and return of funds of the Syrian diaspora,” he said.
Syria suffers from severe power shortages, with state-supplied electricity available two or three hours per day in most areas. The caretaker government says it aims to provide electricity for up to eight hours per day within two months.
The U.S. waivers allow some energy transactions and personal remittances to Syria until July 7, but do not remove any sanctions.
Stock Markets
Yellen says CFIUS made “thorough analysis” of blocked US Steel-Nippon Steel merger
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said on Wednesday that Nippon Steel’s blocked acquisition of U.S. Steel received a “thorough analysis” by an interagency national security review body that was sent to President Joe Biden.
Yellen, in a live interview on CNBC, said she could not discuss specifics of the review of the merger blocked by Biden last week that is now the subject of a lawsuit that alleges that the review by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) was not conducted in good faith and was prejudiced by Biden.
“I think, as you know, there is ongoing litigation over this case, and as head of CFIUS, I regret there is very little substantive that I can say to you about this,” Yellen said. “Other than that, CFIUS did analyze the specifics, as it always does of this situation, and prepared a thorough analysis to go to the president.”
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