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ASB vs WTFC
Which Stock Would AI Choose? Associated Banc-Corp (ASB) vs. Wintrust Financial Corporation (WTFC) Stock Comparison
Key Takeaways
- Associated Banc-Corp (ASB) and Wintrust Financial Corporation (WTFC) are both regional banking institutions with operations primarily in the Midwest, offering similar exposure to traditional banking activities including lending and deposit gathering.
- WTFC reported record Q1 2026 net income of $227.4 million and diluted EPS of $3.22, exceeding analyst estimates, while ASB delivered record full-year 2025 net income available to common equity of $463 million.
- In recent market activity, WTFC has shown stronger momentum with year-to-date returns of approximately 18.4% and one-year returns near 25.1% as of mid-July 2026, alongside analyst upgrades to Buy ratings and price targets around $173–$180.
- ASB trades at a lower price point near $31 as of mid-July 2026, potentially appealing to investors seeking value in the regional bank sector amid broader market conditions.
- Both stocks benefit from positive sector sentiment in banking but face shared risks related to interest rate environments, credit provisions, and economic growth in their respective footprints.
- Relative positioning favors WTFC in terms of recent earnings beats and analyst conviction, while ASB provides a more conservative market capitalization profile for diversified portfolios.
Introduction
Regional banks such as Associated Banc-Corp (ASB) and Wintrust Financial Corporation (WTFC) provide investors with targeted exposure to community-focused lending, deposit services, and wealth management within the U.S. Midwest. This comparison examines their business models, recent stock behavior, and relative positioning in the current market environment. Traders and investors focused on financial sector rotation, earnings momentum, and valuation differentials may find the analysis relevant when evaluating allocations between mid-cap banking names with comparable geographic and operational characteristics.
ASB Overview and Recent Performance
Associated Banc-Corp (ASB) operates as a diversified financial services company headquartered in Green Bay, Wisconsin, providing commercial and consumer banking, wealth management, and mortgage services across the Upper Midwest. In recent market activity, the stock has traded near $31, reflecting measured performance amid sector-wide influences such as interest rate expectations and regional economic data. Broader time references show the company delivered record full-year 2025 net income available to common equity of $463 million, supporting a stable operational backdrop. Sentiment has been influenced by ongoing credit quality monitoring and net interest margin trends typical for regional banks, with limited standout catalysts in the most recent period compared to peers demonstrating stronger earnings surprises.
WTFC Overview and Recent Performance
Wintrust Financial Corporation (WTFC) is a Chicago-area based bank holding company offering commercial banking, wealth management, and specialty lending through multiple charters in Illinois and surrounding states. Recent market activity has highlighted robust performance, with the stock achieving a fresh 52-week high near $163 in June 2026 and posting year-to-date returns of about 18.4% as of mid-July 2026. The company reported record Q1 2026 net income of $227.4 million and diluted EPS of $3.22, surpassing estimates, which contributed to analyst upgrades including Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) and consensus price targets around $173–$180. Positive momentum stems from strong loan growth expectations and earnings estimate revisions, positioning the stock favorably within the regional banking group during the observed timeframe.
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Head-to-Head Comparison
Associated Banc-Corp (ASB) and Wintrust Financial Corporation (WTFC) share core regional banking characteristics, including reliance on net interest income (NII) and exposure to similar economic cycles in the Midwest. WTFC distinguishes itself through a multi-charter structure and broader specialty lending, which supported its Q1 2026 earnings outperformance and subsequent analyst upgrades. In contrast, ASB maintains a more streamlined operation with a lower share price, potentially offering different entry points for portfolio construction. Recent momentum favors WTFC, evidenced by stronger year-to-date and one-year returns alongside price target upside, while both face comparable risk factors such as credit costs and interest rate sensitivity. Market sentiment has tilted toward WTFC due to visible earnings catalysts, creating a trade-off between WTFC’s growth-oriented profile and ASB’s potentially steadier valuation characteristics.
Tickeron AI Verdict
Based on observable factors including earnings consistency, analyst estimate revisions, and relative price momentum, Tickeron’s AI would currently assign a higher probabilistic preference to Wintrust Financial Corporation (WTFC). The stock’s record Q1 results, Buy rating upgrades, and recent attainment of new highs provide clearer near-term positioning signals compared to ASB’s more stable but less catalyst-driven profile in the observed period. This assessment reflects data-driven trend evaluation rather than forward projections.
Disclaimer
The information on this webpage is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as investment advice, a recommendation to purchase or sell any security, or an offer or solicitation related to investments. It does not consider your personal financial situation, goals, or risk profile, and all investing carries inherent risks, including the possibility of losing your entire investment. For more details, please review our full disclaimer.
To compare these two companies we present long-term analysis, their fundamental ratings and make comparative short-term technical analysis which are presented below. The conclusion is ASB is a StrongBuy and WTFC is a Hold.
Long-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a long-term outlook for a ticker by using Fundamental Analysis (FA) ratings. The rating of 1 to 100, where 1 is best and 100 is worst, is divided into thirds. The first third (a green rating of 1-33) indicates that the ticker is undervalued; the second third (a grey number between 34 and 66) means that the ticker is valued fairly; and the last third (red number of 67 to 100) reflects that the ticker is undervalued. We use an FA Score to show how many ratings show the ticker to be undervalued (green) or overvalued (red).
ASB’s FA Score shows that 3 FA rating(s) are green whileWTFC’s FA Score has 2 green FA rating(s).
- ASB’s FA Score: 3 green, 2 red.
- WTFC’s FA Score: 2 green, 3 red.
Short-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a short-term outlook for a ticker by using Technical Analysis (TA) indicators. We use Odds of Success as the percentage of outcomes which confirm successful trade signals in the past.
If the Odds of Success (the likelihood of the continuation of a trend) for each indicator are greater than 50%, then the generated signal is confirmed. A green percentage from 90% to 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bullish trend. A red percentage from 90% - 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bearish trend. All grey percentages are below 50% and are considered not to confirm the trend signal.
ASB’s TA Score shows that 3 TA indicator(s) are bullish while WTFC’s TA Score has 3 bullish TA indicator(s).
- ASB’s TA Score: 3 bullish, 5 bearish.
- WTFC’s TA Score: 3 bullish, 5 bearish.
Price Growth
ASB (@Regional Banks) experienced а +0.65% price change this week, while WTFC (@Regional Banks) price change was +1.34% for the same time period.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Regional Banks industry was +1.03%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was +4.46%, and the average quarterly price growth was +11.22%.
Reported Earning Dates
ASB is expected to report earnings on Jul 23, 2026.
WTFC is expected to report earnings on Oct 20, 2026.
Industries' Descriptions
@Regional Banks (+1.03% weekly)Regional banks have a smaller reach than major banks, and cater mostly to one region of a country, such as a state or within a group of states. They offer services often similar – albeit with some limitations/smaller scale – compared to major banks. Taking deposits, making loans, mortgages, leases, credit cards , fund management, insurance and investment banking. SunTrust Banks, State Street Corp., M&T Bank Corp. are some examples of U.S. regional banks.
| ASB | WTFC | ASB / WTFC | |
| Capitalization | 5.85B | 11B | 53% |
| EBITDA | N/A | N/A | - |
| Gain YTD | 22.384 | 17.902 | 125% |
| P/E Ratio | 10.75 | 13.73 | 78% |
| Revenue | 1.52B | 2.8B | 54% |
| Total Cash | 465M | 468M | 99% |
| Total Debt | 4.01B | 4.34B | 92% |
ASB | WTFC | ||
|---|---|---|---|
OUTLOOK RATING 1..100 | 30 | 77 | |
VALUATION overvalued / fair valued / undervalued 1..100 | 26 Undervalued | 71 Overvalued | |
PROFIT vs RISK RATING 1..100 | 33 | 19 | |
SMR RATING 1..100 | 22 | 15 | |
PRICE GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 43 | 45 | |
P/E GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 98 | 42 | |
SEASONALITY SCORE 1..100 | 50 | 50 |
Tickeron ratings are formulated such that a rating of 1 designates the most successful stocks in a given industry, while a rating of 100 points to the least successful stocks for that industry.
ASB's Valuation (26) in the Regional Banks industry is somewhat better than the same rating for WTFC (71). This means that ASB’s stock grew somewhat faster than WTFC’s over the last 12 months.
WTFC's Profit vs Risk Rating (19) in the Regional Banks industry is in the same range as ASB (33). This means that WTFC’s stock grew similarly to ASB’s over the last 12 months.
WTFC's SMR Rating (15) in the Regional Banks industry is in the same range as ASB (22). This means that WTFC’s stock grew similarly to ASB’s over the last 12 months.
ASB's Price Growth Rating (43) in the Regional Banks industry is in the same range as WTFC (45). This means that ASB’s stock grew similarly to WTFC’s over the last 12 months.
WTFC's P/E Growth Rating (42) in the Regional Banks industry is somewhat better than the same rating for ASB (98). This means that WTFC’s stock grew somewhat faster than ASB’s over the last 12 months.
| ASB | WTFC | |
|---|---|---|
| RSI ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 70% | 2 days ago 68% |
| Stochastic ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 62% | 2 days ago 56% |
| Momentum ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 67% | 2 days ago 70% |
| MACD ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 54% | 2 days ago 63% |
| TrendWeek ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 62% | 2 days ago 71% |
| TrendMonth ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 58% | 2 days ago 66% |
| Advances ODDS (%) | 6 days ago 61% | 6 days ago 68% |
| Declines ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 60% | 2 days ago 60% |
| BollingerBands ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 68% | 2 days ago 63% |
| Aroon ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 53% | 2 days ago 63% |
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ASB and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, ASB has been closely correlated with FNB. These tickers have moved in lockstep 91% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is a high statistical probability that if ASB jumps, then FNB could also see price increases.