---
title: "BUZZ-Columbia Banking rises after Raymond James upgrades to 'strong buy'"
description: "Columbia Banking shares rose 2% to $26.58 after Raymond James upgraded the stock to 'strong buy' from 'outperform' and raised the price target to $31 from $27, indicating a 19% upside. The upgrade fol"
type: "news"
locale: "en"
url: "https://longbridge.com/en/news/257396821.md"
published_at: "2025-09-15T14:26:26.000Z"
---

# BUZZ-Columbia Banking rises after Raymond James upgrades to 'strong buy'

> Columbia Banking shares rose 2% to $26.58 after Raymond James upgraded the stock to 'strong buy' from 'outperform' and raised the price target to $31 from $27, indicating a 19% upside. The upgrade followed investor meetings post-Pacific Premier Bancorp deal, addressing misperceptions about M&A and capital return timing. Raymond James anticipates a pause in M&A, which could enhance EPS growth, and suggests capital return is likely soon. Currently, two analysts rate the stock as buy or higher, while ten hold, with a median price target of $28.

Shares of regional lender Columbia Banking (COLB.O) up 2% at $26.58

Raymond James upgrades COLB to “strong buy” from “outperform” following investor meetings after the closing of Pacific Premier Bancorp deal

Brokerage also raises price target on COLB to $31 from $27 representing a 19% upside to the stock’s last close

Raymond James says management confronted several misperceptions around the bank, including likelihood of additional M&A near-term and timing of potential capital return

Brokerage expects M&A to be on pause for some time, which can drive EPS growth despite a stable balance sheet

Capital return is likely on the horizon as well, Raymond James says

Two of the 12 analysts rate the stock buy or higher and 10 “hold”; their median PT is $28- LSEG data

Including session’s move, COLB down 2.14% YTD

### Related Stocks

- [COLB.US - Columbia Banking](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/COLB.US.md)

## Related News & Research

| Title | Description | URL |
|-------|-------------|-----|
| Envestnet Asset Management Inc. Buys 435,692 Shares of Columbia Banking System, Inc. $COLB | Envestnet Asset Management Inc. increased its stake in Columbia Banking System, Inc. by 220.4% in Q3, acquiring 435,692  | [Link](https://longbridge.com/en/news/276043999.md) |
| Columbia Banking System Announces $0.37 Per Common Share Dividend \| COLB Stock News | Columbia Banking System, Inc. (Nasdaq: COLB) has announced a quarterly cash dividend of $0.37 per common share, payable  | [Link](https://longbridge.com/en/news/275906015.md) |
| Columbia Banking System (COLB) Valuation In Focus After HoldCo Activism And Governance Changes | Columbia Banking System (COLB) is under activist scrutiny following HoldCo Asset Management's campaign, which resulted i | [Link](https://longbridge.com/en/news/275457886.md) |
| An Overview of EPAM Sys's Earnings | EPAM Sys (NYSE:EPAM) will announce its quarterly earnings on February 19, 2026, with analysts estimating an EPS of $2.91 | [Link](https://longbridge.com/en/news/276249178.md) |
| Columbia Banking System (NASDAQ:COLB) Stock Price Expected to Rise, Piper Sandler Analyst Says | Piper Sandler has raised its price target for Columbia Banking System (NASDAQ:COLB) from $32.00 to $35.00, maintaining a | [Link](https://longbridge.com/en/news/255976727.md) |

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> **Disclaimer**: This article is for reference only and does not constitute any investment advice.