Columbia Banking System

COLB · NASDAQ

$28.99+$0.66 (+2.33%)TodayMarket closed · Oct 20, 7:30 PM ET

Prev close $28.33

COLB analyst rating

HoldConsensus of 14 analysts over the last 12 months. 29% rate it a buy.

Strong buy0
Buy4
Hold10
Underperform0
Sell0

12-month price target · 16 analysts

Average $34.53 (+19.1% upside)

Low: $30.30
Now: $28.99
High: $38.85

Upgrades and downgrades

The latest rating actions, newest first

COLB analyst upgrades, downgrades and rating actions
Firm	Date	Action	Rating	Price target	Hit rate
Deutsche Bank	Oct 13, 2026	Initiates	Hold	$32.00	0%
RBC Capital	Oct 9, 2026	Maintains	Sector Perform	$35.00 → $32.00	30%
Barclays	Oct 5, 2026	Maintains	Equal-Weight	$30.00 → $32.00	54%
TD Cowen	Oct 5, 2026	Maintains	Hold	$34.00 → $32.00	47%
JP Morgan	Oct 1, 2026	Maintains	Neutral	$35.00 → $33.00	50%
Wells Fargo	Sep 30, 2026	Maintains	Equal-Weight	$34.00 → $32.00	62%
Citigroup	Sep 22, 2026	Maintains	Neutral	$32.00 → $31.00	40%
DA Davidson	Sep 1, 2026	Upgrade	Neutral → Buy	$33.00 → $36.00	50%
Wells Fargo	Aug 10, 2026	Maintains	Equal-Weight	$32.00 → $34.00	62%
Barclays	Aug 3, 2026	Maintains	Equal-Weight	$31.00 → $30.00	54%

The case for and against

Updated Oct 18, 2026

Bull case

Columbia Banking System is supported by improving deposit trends, a stronger margin outlook, and management’s clear emphasis on profitability over risky growth, with NIM expected to reach 4.00%+ in 3Q26 and core fee income running in the mid-$80 million range. Its franchise appears increasingly attractive after merger integration has moved further behind the company, while disciplined capital deployment through steady buybacks and limited, smaller-scale M&A should support earnings quality and shareholder returns. Despite softer near-term loan growth, the analyst’s 2027 EPS estimate rises to $3.30 and the company is seen exiting 2027 with above-peer ROA and ROTCE of 1.4% and 16%, respectively, reinforcing the positive outlook.

Bear case

Columbia Banking System is facing a fundamentally challenged setup because loan growth remains hard to sustain, with $531 million of end-of-period HFI loan balances down 4.5% sequentially and management signaling that net loan growth may stay challenged over the next 12. Deposit trends are also softer than desired, as balances fell $1.4 billion on CD runoff and declines in NIBs and MMA, even though recent campaigns added over 21K accounts and about $700 million of deposits. While funding discipline and lower wholesale borrowings support net interest margin, the outlook is weighed down by pricing pressure in core CRE, the threat of large-scale M&A, and downside risk from worsening Pacific Northwest credit conditions.

Information on this page is provided for informational purposes only and is not a recommendation to buy, sell or hold any security. Investing involves risk, including possible loss of principal. Market data is delayed at least 15 minutes and is provided without warranty. Analyst ratings, price targets and company data come from third-party sources. Past performance does not guarantee future results.