Hilltop Holdings Inc. (HTH) Hit a 52 Week High, Can the Run Continue?

Shares of Hilltop Holdings (HTH) have been strong performers lately, with the stock up 6.3% over the past month. The stock hit a new 52-week high of $37.04 in the previous session. Hilltop Holdings has gained 8.6% since the start of the year compared to the 17.4% gain for the Zacks Finance sector and the 10.6% return for the Zacks Banks - Southeast industry.What's Driving the Outperformance?The stock has a great record of positive earnings surprises, as it hasn't missed our earnings consensus estimate in any of the last four quarters. In its last earnings report on October 23, 2025, Hilltop Holdings reported EPS of $0.74 versus consensus estimate of $0.49.For the current fiscal year, Hilltop Holdings is expected to post earnings of $2.16 per share on $1.24 in revenues. Meanwhile, for the next fiscal year, the company is expected to earn $2.39 per share on $1.27 in revenues. This represents a year-over-year change of 12.01% and 2.01%, respectively.Valuation MetricsWhile Hilltop Holdings has moved to its 52-week high over the past few weeks, investors need to be asking, what is next for the company? A key aspect of this question is taking a look at valuation metrics in order to determine if the company is due for a pullback from this level.On this front, we can look at the Zacks Style Scores, as these give investors a variety of ways to comb through stocks (beyond looking at the Zacks Rank of a security). The individual style scores for Value, Growth, Momentum and the combined VGM Score run from A through F. The idea behind the style scores is to help investors pick the most appropriate Zacks Rank stocks based on their individual investment style.Hilltop Holdings has a Value Score of A. The stock's Growth and Momentum Scores are C and A, respectively, giving the company a VGM Score of A.In terms of its value breakdown, the stock currently trades at 17.1X current fiscal year EPS estimates, which is a premium to the peer industry average of 11.2X. On a trailing cash flow basis, the stock currently trades at 18X versus its peer group's average of 12.2X. This is good enough to put the company in the top echelon of all stocks we cover from a value perspective, making Hilltop Holdings an interesting choice for value investors.Zacks RankWe also need to look at the Zacks Rank for the stock, as this is even more important than the company's VGM Score. Fortunately, Hilltop Holdings currently has a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy) thanks to rising earnings estimates.Since we recommend that investors select stocks carrying Zacks Rank of 1 (Strong Buy) or 2 (Buy) and Style Scores of A or B, it looks as if Hilltop Holdings fits the bill. Thus, it seems as though Hilltop Holdings shares could have a bit more room to run in the near term.How Does HTH Stack Up to the Competition?Shares of HTH have been soaring, and the company still appears to be a decent choice, but what about the rest of the industry? One industry peer that looks good is HomeTrust Bancshares, Inc. (HTB). HTB has a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy) and a Value Score of B, a Growth Score of C, and a Momentum Score of D.Earnings were strong last quarter. HomeTrust Bancshares, Inc. beat our consensus estimate by 7.95%, and for the current fiscal year, HTB is expected to post earnings of $3.58 per share on revenue of $212.85 million.Shares of HomeTrust Bancshares, Inc. have gained 4% over the past month, and currently trade at a forward P/E of 12.65X and a P/CF of 11.05X.The Banks - Southeast industry is in the top 32% of all the industries we have in our universe, so it looks like there are some nice tailwinds for HTH and HTB, even beyond their own solid fundamental situation.Zacks' Research Chief Names "Stock Most Likely to Double"Our team of experts has just released the 5 stocks with the greatest probability of gaining +100% or more in the coming months. Of those 5, Director of Research Sheraz Mian highlights the one stock set to climb highest.This top pick is a little-known satellite-based communications firm. Space is projected to become a trillion dollar industry, and this company's customer base is growing fast. Analysts have forecasted a major revenue breakout in 2025. Of course, all our elite picks aren't winners but this one could far surpass earlier Zacks' Stocks Set to Double like Hims & Hers Health, which shot up +209%.Free: See Our Top Stock And 4 Runners UpWant the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Hilltop Holdings Inc. (HTH): Free Stock Analysis Report HomeTrust Bancshares, Inc. (HTB): Free Stock Analysis ReportThis article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).Zacks Investment ResearchWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks