Huntington Bancshares Incorporated (HBAN) Fuels Confidence Through Its Acquisitive Strategy

Huntington Bancshares Incorporated (NASDAQ:HBAN) is one of the 10 best banking stocks to buy according to hedge funds.

On February 3, John Pancari from Evercore ISI resumed coverage of Huntington Bancshares Incorporated (NASDAQ:HBAN) with an Outperform rating and $21 price target, after the acquisition of Cadence Bank. This results in an upside potential of almost 23% at the current level.

The analyst sees Huntington as one of the most proactive regional banks in his coverage universe. He highlights the bank’s expanded scale and stronger presence in high-growth Texas and Southeast markets following the acquisitions of Veritex Holdings and Cadence.

On February 9, Huntington Bancshares Incorporated (HBAN) made an announcement regarding the finalization of its merger with Cadence Bank (CADE). While current Cadence Bank customers will continue to use the existing branch network, a full-scale conversion of customer accounts is planned for mid-2026.

Huntington Bancshares Incorporated (NASDAQ:HBAN) is a bank holding company that primarily delivers commercial, consumer, and mortgage banking services. Some of its offerings include lending, payments, deposits, investment management, brokerage, and insurance. Moreover, it offers other financial services, including wealth management, risk management, and capital market solutions.

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