Is ASB Well-Positioned to Support Its Capital Return Strategy?

Associated Banc-Corp ASB maintains a disciplined capital distribution approach, aiming to return value to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases.

In October 2025, the company hiked its quarterly dividend 4.3% to 24 cents per share. Over the past five years, the company has increased its dividend five times.

ASB has a five-year annualized dividend growth rate of 5.24% and a payout ratio of 35%. The company currently offers a dividend yield of 3.71%. ASB’s steady and sustainable dividend policy strengthens its long-term financial position and supports investor confidence.

ASB’s Historical Dividend Trend

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Apart from dividends, ASB has been actively executing share repurchases. In 2021, the company announced a share repurchase authorization worth up to $100 million. As of Dec. 31, 2025, almost $39 million worth of shares were available under the program. In January 2026, ASB’s board of directors approved an additional buyback authorization of $100 million.

Associated Banc-Corp has been undertaking efforts to expand its business to continue focusing on core operations. In sync with this, in December 2025, the company announced a deal to acquire American National Corporation, which will expand its footprint across high-growth markets. ASB’s strong capital and liquidity position support its growth initiatives and shareholder returns.

As of Dec. 31, 2025, Associated Banc-Corp had total debt (comprising FHLB advances and short-term and long-term funding) of $4.17 billion, while its cash and due from banks and interest-bearing deposits in other financial institutions totaled $1.72 billion. Nevertheless, the company maintains investment-grade long-term ratings of Baa3 and BBB- from Moody’s and Standard and Poor's, respectively. These ratings reflect that ASB will likely be able to continue meeting debt obligations, even if the economic situation worsens.

Thus, ASB’s consistent dividends, active share repurchases and disciplined payout strategy reflect strong capital management and financial stability. Backed by solid liquidity and a steady earnings base, the company is well-positioned to sustain capital distribution activities and reinforce investor confidence in its long-term prospects.

ASB’s Price Performance & Zacks Rank

Over the past six months, shares of Associated Banc-Corp have gained 0.6% against the industry’s 3% decline.

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Currently, ASB carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Other Banks' Capital Distribution Approach

KeyCorp KEY also maintains a disciplined capital distribution approach. In 2022, KeyCorp raised its quarterly dividend 5.1% to 20.5 cents per share and has maintained this level since then. Over the past five years, the company has increased its dividend twice.

In March 2025, KEY authorized a buyback program of up to $1 billion with no expiration date. Share repurchases began in the fourth quarter of 2025, and as of Dec. 31, 2025, $0.8 billion remained available under the authorization.

The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. PNC has been consistent in rewarding shareholders over the past years through enhanced capital distributions. In January, the company announced a 6% increase in its quarterly dividend to $1.70 per share. Over the past five years, PNC has raised its dividend five times.

PNC Financial also has a share repurchase plan in place. As of Dec. 31, 2025, nearly 35 million shares were available under the authorization. Management expects to repurchase $600 million to $700 million worth of shares in the first quarter of 2026.

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This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

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