So, you’re looking at the first horizon stock price and wondering if you missed the boat or if the ship is just starting to sail. Honestly, it’s been a wild ride for regional banks lately, and First Horizon (FHN) is right in the thick of it. As of mid-January 2026, the stock is hovering around $24.12. It’s funny because just a year or two ago, everyone was panicked about regional banks falling like dominoes, yet here we are with First Horizon trading near its 52-week high of $24.91.
Why? Because they just knocked their Q4 2025 earnings out of the park.
Most people look at a bank stock and just see a ticker symbol. But with First Horizon, you’ve got to look at the "Southern factor." They’ve got a massive footprint in Tennessee, Florida, and Texas—places where people are actually moving and spending money. While some big-city banks are sweating over empty office buildings, First Horizon is quietly growing its loan book.
What’s Actually Moving the First Horizon Stock Price?
When the bank dropped its latest numbers on January 15, 2026, the market let out a collective sigh of relief. They reported an adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $0.52. Wall Street was expecting $0.46. That’s a 12% beat, which in the banking world is basically a home run.
The real magic, though, was in the Net Interest Margin (NIM). It hit 3.51%. If you aren't a finance nerd, basically NIM is the difference between what the bank earns on loans and what it pays you for your savings account. A 3.51% margin is healthy. It shows they aren't overpaying to keep deposits, even though everyone is hunting for yield these days.
But it’s not all sunshine. The first horizon stock price did slip about 1% on January 16, settling back to $24.12 after an initial post-earnings jump. That’s just the "buy the rumor, sell the news" crowd doing their thing.
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The 2026 Outlook: Growth or Grinding?
CEO Bryan Jordan and CFO Hope Dmuchowski aren't playing it safe. They’re projecting 3% to 7% revenue growth for 2026. That might sound modest, but they’re planning to do it while keeping expenses "flattish." In an inflationary world, flat expenses are a massive win.
They also announced a new $1.2 billion share buyback program. When a bank buys back its own stock, it’s basically saying, "We think our shares are cheap." It also means there are fewer shares for everyone else to fight over, which usually helps the price in the long run.
Why the TD Bank Breakup Was Actually a Blessing
Remember back in 2023 when TD Bank was supposed to buy First Horizon for $25 a share? The deal died because of regulatory hurdles. At the time, FHN stock cratered. It felt like the end of the world for shareholders.
Kinda ironic, right?
Looking back, that breakup saved them. If the deal had gone through, First Horizon would just be another branch of a Canadian giant. Instead, they got a $200 million breakup fee and stayed independent. They used that cash and their freedom to double down on their own tech and specialized lending. Now, they’re trading almost at that old $25 buyout price anyway, but they own the whole house.
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The Bear Case: What Could Go Wrong?
I wouldn't be doing my job if I didn't tell you the risks. Banking is a confidence game.
- Interest Rates: If the Fed cuts rates too fast in 2026, First Horizon’s margin might shrink. They make more money when rates are "higher for longer."
- Commercial Real Estate: While they’ve managed it well, any major crash in office space could still sting.
- The "Takeover" Tag: Some analysts, like the folks at DA Davidson, think First Horizon is the top takeover target for any bank with over $80 billion in assets. If merger talk starts again, the stock gets volatile. Fast.
Analyst Sentiment and Price Targets
If you're looking for a "fair" price, here’s what the big firms are saying as of January 2026:
- Stephens: These guys are bullish. They raised their target to $29.00.
- RBC Capital: Reiterated an "Outperform" rating with a $28.00 target.
- DA Davidson: A bit more cautious, they moved their target to $27.00 but kept a Neutral rating.
Basically, the "smart money" thinks there is another 10% to 20% of upside here. They’re trading at about 1.6x their tangible book value, which isn't dirt cheap, but for a bank hitting a 15% return on tangible common equity (ROTCE), it’s pretty reasonable.
Making a Move: Actionable Steps for Investors
So, what do you actually do with this information?
First, check your exposure to regional banks. If you already own a lot of KRE (the regional bank ETF), you might already have enough First Horizon.
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Second, look at the dividend. They’re paying about $0.15 a quarter, which works out to a yield of roughly 2.5%. It's not a "high yield" play, but it’s safe. They’ve maintained payments for 15 years straight.
If you’re looking to buy, keep an eye on that $24.00 level. It seems to be a psychological floor right now. If it dips toward $22.50—which is near its 200-day moving average—that’s often where the "dip buyers" step in.
Finally, don't ignore the share buybacks. With nearly $1 billion still authorized for repurchases in 2026, the company itself is the biggest buyer in the room. That provides a nice safety net for the first horizon stock price even if the broader market gets a bit shaky.
Keep your eyes on the Q1 2026 report in April. That’s when we’ll see if that "3% to 7% growth" guidance is actually translating into cold, hard cash.