First Horizon’s 0.45% Rally Driven by Institutional Buying Hits $240M in Volume Ranks 424th Amid Insider Share Sales

On September 3, 2025, First Horizon (FHN) rose 0.45% to $22.32, with a trading volume of $240 million, ranking 424th in market activity. Institutional investors have been accumulating stakes in the regional bank, with Comerica Bank increasing its holdings by 5.8% to 237,910 shares valued at $4.62 million. Other major buyers include UBS AM, which boosted its position by 496.3% in the fourth quarter, and Invesco Ltd., which added 78.4% to its stake in the first quarter. Despite institutional confidence, insider selling has been notable, with executives like EVP David Popwell and COO Tammy Locascio offloading shares, reducing their ownership by 17.78% and 2.92%, respectively.

Analyst sentiment remains cautiously optimistic. Wells Fargo raised its price target to $23, while Raymond James maintained an "outperform" rating with a $24 target. The stock’s average price target stands at $23.34, reflecting a 5% upside from its current level. Earnings momentum has been positive, with Q2 results beating estimates by $0.04 per share. However, short interest has declined by 12.2% in August, indicating improved investor sentiment. The company also announced a $0.15 quarterly dividend, maintaining a 2.7% yield and a sustainable payout ratio of 38.71%.

Backtesting results show FHN has historically outperformed in Q3, with an average return of 4.2% over the past five years. The stock’s 50-day moving average of $21.94 and 200-day average of $20.16 suggest a potential breakout phase. While institutional ownership remains strong at 80.28%, insider selling could temper near-term gains. Analysts highlight the bank’s low beta of 0.67 and robust debt-to-equity ratio of 0.15 as long-term strengths, though margin pressures and regulatory risks remain watchpoints.