Huntington Stock Slides 0.9% with 182nd Volume Rank as Analysts Back Strong Buy Despite Earnings Woes

On July 31, 2025, Huntington Bancshares (HBAN) closed at $16.43, down 0.90%, with a trading volume of $0.74 billion, ranking 182nd on the day. Analysts highlight mixed performance relative to benchmarks, underperforming the S&P 500 and Financial Select Sector SPDR Fund over 52 weeks despite a recent price target upgrade from JPMorgan to $18. The stock traded below the $19.17 mean price target, with a potential 27.3% upside to $21. Analysts maintain a “Strong Buy” consensus, citing four consecutive quarters of meeting or exceeding earnings estimates and projected 18.6% adjusted EPS growth for the current fiscal year.

Second-quarter results revealed challenges, including a 7% year-over-year rise in non-interest expenses, a 4% decline in non-interest income, and a 3% increase in credit loss provisions. A $58 million securities repositioning hit further pressured pre-tax earnings. These factors, combined with mixed credit quality metrics, contributed to a 1.6% post-earnings decline on July 18. While the company’s deposit and loan growth and strategic expansion into the Carolinas signal long-term resilience, short-term momentum remains constrained by liquidity concerns and a tightening net interest margin.

Technical analysis notes a bullish ascending triangle pattern on the daily chart, with resistance near $15.00 and a 50-day SMA crossing above the 200-day SMA. However, volume has weakened during consolidation, and a breakout remains unconfirmed. The stock’s 0.90% decline aligns with broader underperformance in regional banks amid rising market volatility and Federal Reserve uncertainty.

The backtest of a high-volume-driven strategy from 2022 to the present showed a 166.71% return, outperforming the S&P 500’s 29.18% by 137.53%. This highlights the role of liquidity concentration in short-term gains, though the approach’s reliance on evolving market dynamics underscores its potential for future volatility.